Get a feel for farming here
After only two years in the South Waikato, Taratahi has proved to be popular and now it has opened its doors to more students.
Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre is holding a free one-day taster course in Putaruru.
Marketing and communications manager Yvonne Way said the taster course would be an opportunity to learn how Taratahi works.
She said the Putaruru centre had ‘‘exceeded expectations’’ with its popularity.
‘‘It’s been a huge success. We’ve got graduates out there [on farms] who 18 months ago did not know what they really wanted to do.’’
She said many of the student successes at the Putaruru centre had come down to the resources available in the district.
‘‘They’re very fluid, there’s a lot of commercial farmland available for all weathers and all seasons.’’
And to learn how it all works Way said the taster course was an opportunity for anyone thinking about getting involved in agricultural training.
Taster students will enjoy a day that is jam-packed with activities such as fencing, stock movement, quad bikes, milking and more.
During the day there will be an opportunity to discover all the study options available at Taratahi, meet staff and tutors, and most taster students get an idea early on if they are interested in specialising in sheep or dairy.
Taster courses are run through the school holidays.
Way said the taster courses were the perfect way to ‘‘try before you buy’’.
‘‘It’s such a big commitment for students to study fulltime, so the taster course is a perfect way to see what it is really like before applying for a place.’’
Taratahi has trained Kiwis for agricultural careers since 1919.
Now, almost a century later, Taratahi’s assets or assets they manage on behalf of others equate to over $100 million. The institute also has 50,000 stock units of sheep, beef and deer, and milks 3250 cows per year.
In August 2014, Taratahi won the Primary ITO Trainer of the Year award at the Beef+Lamb NZ Industry Awards.