All across the world, people are realising the role bees play in getting food onto our tables. Australia is the 4th biggest exporter of honey in the world, and a growing fascination with bees among the wider community has made beekeeping an increasingly popular hobby. Tocal has industry-standard publications for beekeepers, and industry-led practical training to take that knowledge into the field.
Tocal College trainers are passionate about helping beekeepers at all levels to grow in their knowledge of bees and improve their beekeeping practice for healthier bees and better quality honey and hive products. From checking your hives for pests and diseases, to re-queening your hives for beneficial behaviours, learn the skills you need from experienced trainers with years in the industry.
If you are new to beekeeping, start with our book Bee AgSkills, or do a 2-day Beginning in Bees course to get helpful hands-on training. You can also come along to our free Beekeepers Field Day in October each year!
Tocal College has been funded by the NSW Varroa Mite Program to develop and deliver free targeted training to commercial beekeepers in NSW.
Tocal College offers nationally accredited beekeeping courses developed and delivered by technical experts in the field of apiculture. Tocal has been offering the Certificate III in beekeeping since 2016 to both newcomers to beekeeping as well as full-time professional beekeepers.
Chemical Application for Beekeepers: tailored training for beekeepers on chemical safety, with a focus on individual safety, colony safety and consumer safety.
Type: Short course
Units: 2
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.
Type: Short course
Units: 2
Honey bee pest and disease sampling and management
This two day course provides beekeepers with the skills to recognise, take samples, monitor and manage the impact of pests and diseases on honey bee colonies. This course meets the biosecurity training obligations for beekeepers under the Australian Honey Bee Industry Biosecurity Code of Practice (Section 9.2a).
Type: Online
Units: 1
Honey bee pest and disease management - online
This online course provides beekeepers with the skills to recognise, monitor and manage the impact of pests and diseases on honey bee colonies. This course meets the requirements of the Australian Honey Bee Industry Biosecurity Code of Practice Section 9.2a: approved pest and disease course.
Type: Short course
Units: 2
Seasonal 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.
Type: Short course
Units: 1
Using bees for pollination
Is your colony strong enough to take on pollination jobs? How much will you make from pollination? And for the horticulturist, is your farm suited to pollination? How would you know? This one-day course at Tocal is for both beekeepers and horticulturists to make the most of the symbiotic benefits of using bees for large-scale pollination.
Type: Online
Units: 2
Quality assurance for honey extraction - online
This online course teaches the skills and knowledge required to operate honey extraction equipment safely and to extract honey fit for human consumption.
Type: Short course
Units: 1
Artificial insemination of queen 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.
Type: Short course
Units: 1
Rearing queen bees
For the experienced beekeeper interested in expanding into queen bee breeding, this two-day course at Tocal is run by industry-respected specialists. It covers both an understanding of queen bees and how to breed them.
Bee recognised for your skills with a nationally-recognised qualification. Tocal’s AHC31824 Certificate III in Beekeeping will raise your skill levels in a crucial area of Australian agriculture.
Want to know more about Native bees? This one-day course takes you into the fascinating world of these amazing and diverse insects. Solitary bee? Stingless bee? Learn some of the differences, which can be kept and how to care for them.
This one-day non-accredited course focuses on understanding and managing the nutritional challenges that bees face throughout the seasons, during drought, fires, floods, and when pests and diseases are present.
This unaccredited online course will introduce you to the basics of the Varroa management.
Quality books for beekeepers are available in print and digital format.
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