Farmers and farm managers undertake farming operations to raise livestock and cultivate crops, fruit, vegetables and other agricultural products. A farmer is a self-employed person who farms their own land or a leasehold property rented from a landowner. A farm manager is an employee who is paid a salary to manage a farm or group of farms.
Farmers and farm managers may:
- manage the financial aspects of the business by controlling income and expenses
- decide the crops to be grown, the area to be sown and/or the livestock to be raised
- recruit, coordinate and direct farm workers on crop growing and livestock raising
- plant, spray, fertilise, harvest and sell crops
- handle, load and transport livestock for showing, slaughter or sale
- clean and maintain buildings, sheds, pens, equipment and facilities to maintain health standards and high quality of produce
- observe and record produce quality or livestock body weight and condition.
They may specialise in enterprises such as cropping or horticulture. Others work with animals such as beef or dairy cattle, sheep, pigs or poultry. Many farmers and farm managers conduct mixed farming operations.
Farmers may work on large or small enterprises or they may need to travel between a number of properties to manage activities. They spend much of their time working outdoors.
Ways to get into the farming industry are:
· Apprenticeship
· Traineeship
· School based apprenticeship
· TVET
· Prevocation
TAFE NSW Hunter Institute offers training for the aquaculture industry at Scone. All training is nationally accredited.
Our state of the art facilities provide students with a simulated work environment. Teaching at some campuses is flexible. There is a possibility of doing some on the job training in your workplace. After you complete your training you can specialize in different areas. You need to do further studies for this.
For further information on enrolment dates and course options contact the head teacher
Courses can be customised and/or delivered onsite. Contact the Faculty of Industry and Natural Resources business office on 02 4923 7681.
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