What will I learn?
In the first year you’ll develop practical knowledge and techniques so that in the second year you’ll be ready to concentrate on enterprise management and specialise with optional livestock and arable units, from livestock health and nutrition to farm habitats.
The course includes three weeks work experience in the first year – giving you real industry experience and the opportunity to put your skills learnt on the College farm, beef, dairy, arable, sheep and pig units into practice. Visits to businesses and events will provide an in-depth view of national and international agriculture and you’ll also get involved in busy College events which is great fun and the ideal opportunity to develop vital communication and customer facing skills.
Topics covered
• Agricultural business management and diversification
• Machinery management, operation and maintenance
• Workshop practice, for example welding
• Agricultural livestock production, science and management – dairy, beef, sheep and pigs
• Agricultural crop, forage and grassland management
• Plant and soil science
• Environmental sustainability
• Estate skills
• Health & Safety in Agriculture
• Farm duties & Work placement
Entry requirements
Five GCSEs including Science, with Maths and English at grade 4 or Level 2 in Agriculture at Merit level with English and Maths at Level 2 or GCSE grade 4.
What can I study next?
- FdSc or BSc in Agriculture or other Land‑based subject
This course gives you UCAS tariff points for entry to university. Complete a full Level 3 with us and we’ll guarantee you an offer of a place on one of our relevant University Centre Sparsholt degree courses. Admissions Terms & Conditions apply – for full details go to Sparsholt.ac.uk/university-centre
Careers
• Farm manager or assistant farm manager
• Industries such as agronomy, nutrition consultancy, contract farming, grain merchandise, machinery dealing, feed sales, supply trade
• Livestock or arable unit manager
• Head tractor driver
• Head stock-person working with cattle, sheep or pigs
Optional additional qualifications
- NPTC Operation of Rough Terrain Lift Trucks
- NPTC All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs)
- NPTC Stockmanship
- NPTC Transport of Animals
- NPTC Pesticide Spray Application
- NPTC Tractor Driving
