Considering your training options for a career in the sheep and beef industry? Young people who have trained at a cadet farm are highly sought after by employers.
Places at cadet farms are hotly contested, but it's well worth trying for a place. If you get accepted to a cadet farm, you'll go through a structured training programme and come out a well-rounded employee, ready for work in the sheep and beef industry.
What are the options?
Waipaoa Station
The Waipaoa Farm Cadet Training Trust runs a two year agricultural training programme on Waipaoa Station, a commercial sheep and beef farm 70km inland from Gisborne, with the primary objective of training our future agricultural leaders.
Visit their website to apply and find out more.
Otiwhiti Station
Located near Hunterville, the Otiwhiti Station Land Based Training school teaches hill country sheep and cattle skills to a select group of not more than ten cadets in the first year. Opportunities for employment are made available for the second year in and around the community while cadets study for a structured Level 4 qualification.
Visit their website to apply and find out more.
Support
Beef + Lamb New Zealand provides financial assistance to students accepted into programmes at Waipaoa Station (Gisborne) and Otiwhiti Station (Hunterville).
Whangārei A&P Farm Intern programme
The Whangārei A&P Farm Intern programme is a two-year, full-time farm internship programme where young people interested in a farming career get hands on experience for free whilst also working towards completing their New Zealand Certificate in Agriculture levels 3 and 4.