Ag Colleges for son

[norfolk n sheep]

My Eldest son is looking for an agricultural college to start in September 2021 after finishing his GCSE's. He is very clued up on sheep, having sheared his first 100 Romney ewes at the age of 14. He can crutch, worm, electric fence etc all day and keep up with the best of us. In the future he would like to either go to college or work in New Zealand.
Although after a chat with him, we think it would be best to undertake a general farm qualification in the UK at the moment, may be a level 3. This will allow him to learn about other things such as dairy which he hasn't worked with yet.
Obviously with Covid it is not possible to walk around the colleges to get a 'feel' of them. He wants to stay at college all week with the option to come home at weekends when we need help on the farm. He is into rugby in a big way, playing for the Saints Development programme for 2 years and playing competitive rugby for the last 6 years.
Any ideas on which college may fit into this scenario
TIA

 

[milkloss]

Sounds a practical sort of lad, make sure there’s plenty of education that’s not just the daily trudge. Business, economics, breeding and medicine etc

 

[norfolk n sheep]

That's my thoughts. There is plenty of work at home for him but he would benefit from learning it all from someone else to get different ideas, (and a piece of paper). I think working overseas is also a necessity these days, i love the NZ work ethic

 

[Cowslip]

I would suggest you avoid writtle.

 

[Anymulewilldo]

All I can say is if he looks at Reaseheath, don’t believe a word they tell you about the mixed farming. When you get there all they want too teach you is dairy dairy dairy. The other aspects of the college have gone down the pan this last 10 years. I believe the Risholme is supposed to be good??

It will definitely open his eyes and do him a world of good. I really enjoyed college but being a sheep and beef lad I got very wound up that the lecturers knew less about sheep and beef than I did!

 

[norfolk n sheep]

I know a lot of colleges have severely gone downhill recently. I met a lecturer at a young shepherds competition last year from Riseholme and did agree with a lot he had to say. As I said previously we are a bit apprehensive without looking around the place.
He is very keen on sheep shearing and can see himself in shearing sheds in the future, to have a lecturer who pushes this would be an advantage.

 

[norfolk n sheep]

Why avoid Writtle? He has looked on their website and said it looks really good.

 

[spin cycle]

what about brooksby nr melton mowbray?.....does level 3.....not to far away but far enough to 'stretch his wings'

 

[norfolk n sheep]

Will look into it. Got lots of family Melton way, and could mix a Tuesday market day with the odd student bar stay over

 

[Boysground]

My boy went to Hartpury and enjoyed every second of it. I was always impressed with the teaching and the agriculture setup as a whole. We liked all the sport that runs in the uni side, it gives the agriculture kids a different outlook. One day my boy was rugby training and some of the Welsh team that had been with the uni rugby kids came and spent time with the agric team.

I have a friend who’s son is there at the moment doing agriculture and one of my staff has a daughter on a rugby scholarship they both love it.

My son went on to do a agriculture business management degree elsewhere and is currently 2nd in command of a massive dairy in Ontario. He still says Hartpury was a perfect start.

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[norfolk n sheep]

Looks like Brooksby runs a development programme with Leicester Tigers Rugby club. Looks a possibility

 

[Frank-the-Wool]

The best College for a CV would be Harper Adams but probably not what he will be looking for. (Does have a good Rugby team usually!)
It would have to be a longer course there but the contacts he will make are very important in the future. I am afraid that in the real world it is not what you know, but who you know.

I would not be concerned about looking at a College that has good sheep/ shearing education as the best way to learn to Shear is through BWMB courses and then go to Shearing school in NZ before going to work for a good contractor there. You will be able to get plenty of ideas on here as to which will be the best to go to.

Otherwise the UOL worked OK for me after a one year course at Plumpton.

 

[funny farm]

Why bother with college, I always wished I’d worked on 4 farms for a year each instead of a 3 year sandwich course and a year in Australia and NZ. I met some fantastic people and gained far more from the farms I worked on than you could ever in any of the colleges in the uk.

 

[Clive]

I would avoid ag college - there is not much practical they can teach anyone who has grown up on a farm

do a business studies course at a regular college or uni - meet none farming people and get a proper “life” education

 

[Boysground]

No more Seale Hayne

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[norfolk n sheep]

He will only be 16 when he leaves school, I think a year or two a college would be best. This will give him time to get his driving license, gain friends, be able to drink alcohol legally. Working on more farms and traveling would be best with a few extra years on him.

 

[CopperBeech]

Sounds a practical sort of lad, make sure there’s plenty of education that’s not just the daily trudge. Business, economics, breeding and medicine etc

100% agree with this, kind of feels like lots of ag students spend a few years learning sh!t I could teach them to a better standard in a year on farm, the ones that are useful have other skills to bring to the table. I mean do you really need to go to ag college to learn how to jab a ewe or if you use alamycin or pen and strep, and a lot of it is rapidly outdated anyway, preached by a small number of folk with limited current real world experience. Like how many 'college flocks' are indoor lambing, cake fed mules. . . . .

 

[norfolk n sheep]

I have visited ag colleges in NZ and am sure this would be the best place to train, but at 16 I think its to young to send him. Another couple of years would make all the difference

 

[CopperBeech]

I have visited ag colleges in NZ and am sure this would be the best place to train, but at 16 I think its to young to send him. Another couple of years would make all the difference

100% mate.

I have a kid here now, he's in college but with me as an industry placement for a couple day or so a week. Seems to work well, and I think he's learning more here running around with / for me than college, but it rounds things out nicely.

 

[4course]

I would avoid ag college - there is not much practical they can teach anyone who has grown up on a farm

do a business studies course at a regular college or uni - meet none farming people and get a proper “life” education

I would encourage all young guys or gals to go to college or uni whatever, broadens your outlook ,as far as farming is concerned listen learn and adopt and adapt from what "grandad "is saying he is not a silly old fecker just dont waste 40 years working it out(