
Bee traineeship
Gain a nationally-accredited beekeeping qualification while you earn money keeping bees. A blend of face-to-face and online learning, Tocal’s beekeeping traineeship is the qualification to get you recognised.
Be recognised for your skills with a nationally-recognised qualification. Tocal’s Certificate III in Beekeeping will raise your skill levels in an important agricultural industry.
This qualification is aimed at commercial beekeepers, or beekeepers with multiple hives. There are 18 units of competency in total, which are delivered through a combination of face-to-face training, online training, and workplace assessment. Units include managing swarms, transporting hives, requeening a colony, and WHS processes—full list of units below.
Location: | Online or Blended Delivery |
Course duration: | Maximum of two (2) years |
Start date: | EOIs open |
Number of units: | 18 |
Indicative fees: | $6,690 (excluding the NSW government Fee Free Training scheme where eligible) |
The qualification consists of 18 units of competency in total, delivered through a combination of face-to-face training, online training & workplace assessment (for trainees only). You can expect to attend 14-16 days of face-to-face training held in 4-day blocks here at Tocal College in Paterson, NSW.
More information is available in the Student Handbook for this course.
Some of the electives on offer at Tocal College are:
Possible job roles for this qualification include:
Due to the demand for this qualification, Tocal College has a staged application and selection process. This is a trade level qualification, and priority will be given to beekeepers currently working in the bee industry, new full-time trainees of commercial beekeepers, and beekeepers seeking to diversify and/or scale up their beekeeping business operations.
For beekeepers not requiring the full qualification but wanting to increase their skills, Tocal College offers accredited industry short course training in bees.
Up to two (2) years.
Assessment methods may include:
The principles of assessment will be followed and all assessments will be valid, reliable, flexible and fair and carried out by qualified assessors. Students will be advised of the assessment requirements prior to the assessment taking place.
Support is available via:
The Certificate III in Beekeeping is currently subsidised by the State Government. The fee payable depends upon eligibility and access to concessions or exemptions. Currently, students can expect to pay:
For more information and to check your eligibility visit https://skills.education.nsw.gov.au/nsw-fee-free/agriculture-forestry-fishing.
Download the Student Handbook for this course here.
For information on students rights and responsibilities, and the Tocal College Code of Practice, see Industry qualification student policies.
Student may decide to progress to further study within the College. Tocal also has articulation (credit for study at Tocal) arrangements in place with a number of Australian universities.
Bee traineeship
Gain a nationally-accredited beekeeping qualification while you earn money keeping bees. A blend of face-to-face and online learning, Tocal’s beekeeping traineeship is the qualification to get you recognised.
Online Manage Pest and Disease within a Honey Bee Colony
This online course provides beekeepers with the skills to recognise, monitor and manage the impact of pests and diseases on honey bee colonies, and has been developed to align with two units of competency from the Certificate III in Beekeeping AHC31818
Quality assurance for honey extraction
This online course teaches the skills and knowledge required to operate honey extraction equipment safely and to extract honey fit for human consumption.
Artificial insemination of bees
For experienced bee breeders and researchers, this two-day course will help raise your skill level both in collecting semen and artificially inseminating queen bees.
Beginning in bees
Get a basic knowledge of beekeeping in this two-day introductory course run by Tocal College. It’s the ideal start to help you manipulate bee hives, carry out general management, and understand how a bee colony works.
Spring management of honey bee colonies
Looking to increase your hive numbers, manage swarm behaviour, and boost honey production? This two-day course at Tocal will help you do just that, as well as prepare strong healthy hives for pollination services and queen bee rearing.
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