Get your career into high gear with nationally-recognised training at Tocal’s Yanco campus.
Traineeships enable students to gain nationally accredited training and qualifications while being paid to work in the agriculture industry. They are open to paid employees of dairy farms, and the course leads to a nationally accredited Certificate II, III or IV in Agriculture.
Rural trainees may work in a variety of enterprises, accumulating many valuable farm skills.
Fee free traineeships from 1 January 2020: The NSW Government has expanded its support for trainees and apprentices by waiving the $1000 Smart and Skilled co-contribution fee for traineeships (more info here).
Wage subsidy: Any businesses or Group Training Organisation that engages an Australian Apprentice on or after 5 October 2020 may be eligible for a subsidy of 50 per cent of wages paid to an apprentice between 5 October 2020 and 30 September 2021, to a maximum of $7,000 per quarter (more info here). NSW Government rebates for accommodation and travel are also available.
| Location: | Yanco campus |
| Course duration: | Maximum of two (2) years |
| Start date: | Enrol anytime |
| Number of units: | Dependent on entry level |
| Indicative fees: | The NSW Government has expanded its support for trainees and apprentices by waiving the $1000 Smart and Skilled co-contribution fee for traineeships. |
Training is delivered via several study blocks where attendance is required for up to 6 weeks per traineeship. It includes a blend of face-to-face, online courses and workplace assessment with practical components and hands-on exercises.
Training includes use of the College farms, visits to commercial farms in NSW and uses the experience of industry professionals and mentors whenever possible.
You may be involved in the following subject areas, depending upon your desired qualification and level of training, as well as the units selected:
| Apiary Operations | Biosecurity |
| Breeding & Selection | Chainsaw Maintenance and Handling |
| Chemical Application | Cropping |
| Dairy Operations | Fencing |
| First Aid | Forklift Licence |
| Irrigation | Livestock Handling & Husbandry |
| Motorbike/Quad Operation | Natural Resource Management |
| Nutrition & Feeding | Pasture Establishment and Management |
| Pest & Disease Management | Quality Assurance |
| Queen Bee Breeding | Safe Tractor Operation and Maintenance |
| Team Work & Communication Skills | Vertebrate Pest Control |
| Welding | Wool Handling |
| Work Health & Safety. | Drones in Agriculture |
Possible job roles (depending on qualification level) include:
Entry requirements are determined by the level of qualification you wish to gain. Trainees with some previous industry experience or a farming background, or completion of the HSC Primary Industries/Agriculture course, may be eligible to commence the Certificate III program. Trainees with considerable industry experience and preferably HSC Primary Industries/Agriculture or equivalent may be eligible for direct entry into the Certificate IV program. If you would like more specific information, contact Tocal College or the Australian Apprenticeship Centre.
This traineeship will take up to 24 months to complete. Depending on your experience and skills, you may be able to complete it in a shorter timeframe. This would need to be discussed with your Traineeship Coordinator.
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 email, phone, face-to-face on-campus, and through Canvas (the online learner management system).
From 1 January 2020 the NSW Government will be waiving the $1000 Smart and Skilled co-contribution fee for traineeships. https://www.nsw.gov.au/news-and-events/news/fee-free-traineeships-from-2020/
Existing worker course fee (those ineligible for Government funding) is $2950
Accommodation, including meals and linen, is available at a weekly rate.
Traineeships attract substantial subsidies for employers and allowances for employees (including for accommodation and travel). Scholarships are also available.
More information is available in the Traineeship Guidebooks for Employer (PDF, 1156.61 KB) and Trainee (PDF, 1259.75 KB), from the Australian Apprenticeship Centre, or by contacting the Traineeship Coordinator. You can also visit the Smart & Skilled website.
For information on students rights and responsibilities, and the Tocal College Code of Practice see Student policy information.
Student may decide to progress to further study within the College. The AHC50116 Diploma of Agriculture follows on from the Certificate IV in Agriculture and covers farm management, farm planning, marketing, cattle breeding and other units. This qualification is delivered online.
Tocal also has articulation (credit for study at Tocal) arrangements in place with a number of Australian universities.
Type: Short course
Units: 3
ProSoils - Grain
Access best-quality soils/plant nutrition technical information online, at a level suited to the experience of the individual. The course is suited to agronomists (Resellers and Independent Consultants) and Farm Managers in the grain industry seeking excellence in management of soils and plant nutrition, rather than basic sales agronomy training traditionally offered.
Type: Short course
Units: 5
Precision agronomy
Get the most from your technology investment. Functional, practical training in precision agronomy ensures your time in the cab is well-spent. Let Tocal’s fully-subsidised training raise your skills to the next level.
Type: Short course
Units: 2
Operate tractors with attachments and conduct front-end loader operations
Learn how to prepare for, operate and maintain tractor operations with attached equipment and to prepare for, carry out and shut down front-end loader operations in an agricultural environment.
Type: Short course
Units: 1
Operate and maintain tractors
The better you know how to operate and maintain a tractor, the safer and more productive your farm will be. Learn about how to set up tractors for your business, become familiar with the controls of tractors, and learn how tractors affect biosecurity.
Type: Short course
Units: 4
Advanced Spray Application - Level 3
Accredited training delivered in partnership with Craig Day of Spray Safe & Save to experienced NSW based growers, advisors, employees and spray contractors involved in grains and/or cotton production.
Type: Short course
Units: 3
Introduction to seeding
Want to improve your understanding of seeding technology and seeding operations? This program has been developed to help operators with some experience in seeding operations to build their skills and knowledge about the latest technology to help them achieve better results in the field. The course is aimed at people who are familiar with broadacre and/or row-crop seeding equipment and operations.
Want to find out about news, events, courses and publications?