Apply now for CAFRE’s Level II Agricultural Business Operations Course
May 12, 2022
The CAFRE Agricultural Business Operations [ABO] Level II Certificate Course is open for 2022/23 applications from 1 May to 31 July.
Course Manager, Kenneth Johnston, explained that the course will be delivered over 20 weeks from the end of September 2022 to the end of February 2023. The course will be delivered in the evenings using a blended approach of online and face to face delivery which proved to be a successful way of learning during the past two years. He also advised that the course will be available at the three CAFRE Campus locations with classes in beef, sheep and dairying being offered. Kenneth went on to say that a significant number of those who have previously completed the course do so to be eligible for the Young Farmers’ Payment/Regional Reserve. However, increasing numbers now apply because the part-time evening course fits in with their busy working lives.
Geraldine Flynn [pictured] from Castlewellan, Co Down who recently completed the sheep production course at Greenmount Campus says: “I really enjoyed the course and learned a lot from it and was particularly encouraged by the number of female farmers undertaking the course. The course suited me as it was held in the evenings and I work on the family farm with my husband Patrick and I am also a full time mum at the same time. Our home farm is mostly arable but we also have a small suckler cow enterprise and a sheep enterprise.
I previously attended university and enjoyed a career in telecoms and advertising. My interest in farming and in sheep production began when I moved to the farm and I decided to apply for the Level 2 Agricultural Business Operations course to learn more about sheep production and to gain an agricultural qualification. I can truly say it was one of the best decisions that I have made and I really enjoyed and gained so much from the experience. It was great to meet up with other likeminded people and we had a large class of over 20 people, all with different backgrounds and reasons to be there.
I especially enjoyed the lectures in grassland production which opened my eyes to a whole new area that I hadn’t thought too much about before. The course has given me the confidence to make informed management decisions on the home farm and I have no hesitation in recommending the course to anyone interested in agriculture and hoping to achieve a worthwhile qualification”.
Anyone wishing to apply for a place on the Level 2 Agricultural Business Operations course can do so by visiting this link.
A range of evenings, Monday to Wednesday will be available, however, choices will become more limited as classes fill up. Therefore, it is important that you book early to ensure you get the training event which best suits your needs.
The cost of the course is £150.00.
The CAFRE Agricultural Business Operations (Level II Certificate) qualification meets the agricultural training eligibility requirements for the Young Farmers’ Payment/Regional Reserve Scheme.
If you require any assistance when booking a place on this training, you can call CAFRE Industry Training Administration on 028 9442 6880 or by emailing Industry.TrainingAdmin@daera-ni.gov.uk.