Upskilling and safety focus in farm short courses

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Embarking on springtime maintenance on your rural or lifestyle property?  Planning to use tools – chainsaws or quad bikes – that can be dangerous if deployed incorrectly?

With safety top of mind, WITT agriculture tutor Adrian Edser is running short courses in November on fencing, chainsaw, quad bike and Light Utility Vehicle (LUV) operation.

An experienced farmer and educator, Adrian says the fencing short course is aimed at people on smaller farms and lifestyle blocks who want to do fencing themselves rather than hire a contractor, as well as for people who want to gain skills for employment, such as farm workers and share milkers.

“The course is suitable for someone who’s bought a property, and the fencing is in pretty bad order, and they need to do repairs. You learn some skills so you can fix it yourself. It’s about upskilling people who live on the land and work with animals.”

Secure, stable fencing is about safety – on the farm and for motorists, he adds. “Worst case scenario – your cows get out on the road, cause an accident and kill someone. And your cows end up dead as well.”

Adrian says while there are new materials on the market – such as fibreglass posts – these can be costly for small holdings.

His focus is teaching participants how to set up a timber post and wire a fence.

For chainsaw safety, you’ll learn how to handle different types of cuts with ease, from trimming branches, basic up and down cuts, and bore cuts. You will also discover how to keep a chainsaw in peak condition.

“From routine cleaning to sharpening and adjusting the chain, you'll gain the skills needed to prolong the life of your equipment and keep it running smoothly,” says Adrian.

Quad bike and LUV (light utility vehicle) safety are important to ensure drivers are aware of the risks of driving off-road on potentially hazardous hilly terrain or in difficult conditions. The course also covers proper handling and maintenance practices to reduce costs, increase efficiency and, most importantly, reduce the risk of accidents and injuries.

Caption: Adrian Edser, agriculture tutor at WITT

Farm classroom for hands-on learning

Courses take place at WITT’s Grassmere training farm in Egmont Village. Adrian - who also teaches the NZ Certificate in Agriculture (Levels 3 and 4) at WITT - says it is “one of the best in education” with a dedicated classroom and workshop, and equipment such as chainsaws, tractor, quad bike available for course participants to learn practical skills.

“Anyone signing up to do these courses, it’s not far to go out there.”

As well as rural life stylers and small farm owners, the courses are also relevant to conservation workers, landscape gardeners, employees in construction, forestry, and outdoor industries, as well as supervisors and safety officers looking to create a safer work environment.

For more information and to apply:

Quad Bike Training: 3 and 4 November

Light Utility Vehicle Operation: 10, 11, 12 November

Basic Fencing Skills: 17, 18, 19 November

Chainsaw Safety 101: 24, 25, 26 November

 

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