Course Details

General overview

Each week, a senior and junior cadet are rostered on to carry out hostel duties while the other cadets are split up with staff members to carry out daily work tasks on Waipaoa. First year cadets carry out general work on the farm while the second year's focus is on stock work. Major operations like docking and shearing are carried out by all on the station.

First year cadets:

  • Are teamed up with a second year cadet (senior) for hostel duties and mentoring for the whole year. Duties include milking the cow, feeding horses and pigs, daily cleaning of the hostel, general maintenance and managing dog tucker supplies.
  • Will be taught by the cooking tutor how to prepare meals when on hostel duty. 
  • Will be taught to ride a horse which they will use for transport and stock work. 
  • Will get a heading pup in March and will be taught how to rear and break in a working dog.
  • Are tutored on the basic principals of slaughtering, carpentry, fencing, water systems, stock sense, general maintenance, woolshed, animal welfare and tractor operations. 
  • Are tutored on the technical aspects of farming including; soil analysis, fertilizers, budgeting, meat and wool production, pasture management, and much more. 
  • Receive tuition in using computers for record keeping and analysis. 
  • Are taught how to care for and ride horses
  • Will carry out stock work on horse back with senior cadets
  • Complete a one week Health and Safety induction course in January incorporating training in vehicle and chainsaw operation, a farm tour and an overview on farm policy and work systems.
  • Take part in a learner shearing course on the station. 
  • Complete a three day comprehensive first aid course. 
  • Will complete their  National Certificate level 3 theory-component.
  • Complete a Level 1 shearing qualification.
  • Receive tuition in personnel management.

Second year cadets:

  • Teamed up with a first year cadet for the year as a mentor.
  • Come back in January with a fully broken in, work fit huntaway.
  • Are taught how to break in the heading pup they have reared. 
  • Play a full role in mustering and animal health operations. 
  • Will complete their National Certificate level 4 theory-component and build on all aspects of theory work covered in year one. 
  • Receive tuition in using computer programs for farm analysis, budgeting and record keeping. 
  • Visit a: freezing works, fertilizer plant, woolstore and farm field days. 
  • Complete a Level 2 shearing qualification. 
  • Complete a Growsafe Course 
  • Receive tuition in personnel management.

Duration

A cadetship is two years broken into two annual programs of study, which run from the second week in January through to the third week in December. This is synchronised with the annual farm cycle. At the end of their two years cadets graduate with their National Certificates of achievement, a Waipaoa Certificate and tie as verification that they have successfully completed their Waipaoa experience.

Qualifications gained (subject to change)

Year one:

  • National Certificate in Agriculture @ level 3 "Farming Skills"
  • Certificate in Workplace First Aid
  • National Certificate in Machine Shearing, level one

Year two:

  • National Certificate in Agriculture @ level 4 "Sheep/Cattle"
  • National Certificate in Machine Shearing @ level 2
  • Growsafe Approved Handlers Certificate

Training process

Theory program

Lectures are run fortnightly throughout the duration of the course with Wednesday afternoons designated as study time. Cadets complete unit standard based written assessments with topics synchronised to complement current farm operations. A lecturer and mentor lives on-site providing full time support where needed.

Practical training program

Cadets work with training staff on a daily basis in accordance with normal farm procedure. Staff plan work activities in alignment with "skill development plans" which are set for each individual cadet. Practical assessments are completed for each cadet in accordance with unit standard and course requirements.

Short courses and specialist tuition

Throughout the study year, industry experts visit Waipaoa and deliver lectures and short-courses that further back up tuition given by on-site tutors. This practice allows the information flow to our cadets to remain in tune with new industry developments. Both senior and junior cadets attend these sessions and are encouraged to work together on post lecture exercises.

Specialist courses include:

  • Animal anatomy - ruminant anatomy, internal parasite identification.
  • Animal health and husbandry - animal health planning and policies, animal welfare.
  • Electric fence systems - the system of electric fencing and on-farm application.
  • Fertilisers - soil testing, nutrient budgeting, program development, environmental awareness, types and their purpose.
  • Meat production - strategic management practices for improved protein production, sales and marketing, grading and processing systems.
  • Pasture and crop management - renewal programs, feed budgeting, pasture, weed and crop identification, factors influencing pasture production.
  • Reproduction and genetics - strategic use of genetics for improved productivity, breeding programs, policy development.
  • Rural safety - chainsaw, SPV/ATV, tractor, motorcycle operation and safety. 
  • Soil science - soil identification, factors effecting fertility, influence of farming practices on soil formation and structure, soil biology, climatic and geographical influence on soil types, environmental awareness.
  • Water systems - source and storage options, systems development and installation, component identification and use, calculating stock water requirements. 
  • Wool production - factors influencing wool production, wool "from the farm to the consumer", woolshed operations, identification of wool types and faults, breeding for improved wool production.