Agri Training is New Zealand’s newest education provider who has partnered with City & Guilds and is now delivering their 2020 programme from the site of the former Winchmore Research Station. Agri Training staged its open day on Friday to welcome students, parents, and all interested members of the public for a tour of the facility and to learn more about the globally recognised diplomas on offer.
Agri Training is offering two diplomas beginning with a Diploma in Agriculture which leads to a second Diploma in Agricultural Business Management.
Ashburton Mayor Neil Brown introduced attendees to the new facility along with founder and Managing Director, Matt Jones, before cutting the ribbon and declaring Agri Training officially open. The Agri Training premise includes refurbished office and learning spaces for students which also includes land for practical training towards the two diplomas on offer. Agri Training General Manager Greg Barnaby said, “This is a unique learning opportunity as we include a ‘learn as you earn’ feature with the diplomas”. “All students are placed with our accredited farmers and are receiving income while learning in a practical sense to complete their diploma.” “This allows the qualification to essentially pay for itself with a pay as you go offering so students can graduate and enter the workforce with no student loan at the end.” Scholarships are also open for applications now for the 2020 programme.
Greg Barnaby also said, “It’s been great to see so many people turn up including the combination of parents and students who are here to consider options for 2020”. “We suspected people would be interested in the ‘Learn and Earn’ aspect of the programme and they definitely were.” “Another aspect of our diploma programme that’s very attractive is the farm placement with our accredited farmers”. “We’ve worked very hard to develop a network of well-established and reputable operators that we’re comfortable will complement the programme and hugely benefit the students.” “We’re a City & Guilds approved centre which means the students and farmers can join the programme with confidence knowing this is a globally recognised qualification.”
The interest in the open day was broad due to the specialist streams of study across dairy production, sheep & beef, deer, and arable. Agri Training Managing Director Matt Jones said, “People we’ve been speaking with today come from varied backgrounds, some have had experience on family farms where there’s is a succession plan in place for the next generation which needs to be accompanied with qualifications.” “Others are from rural schools and are familiar with farming life and now want but want to concentrate on an exact area of farming which Agri Training allows for.” “The diplomas also allow for those currently working in agriculture to have their experience recognised within a diploma which certainly helps people to move to the next stage of their career as they’ll become formally qualified”.