Have you got kids at college?

[Renaultman]

I think covid is a bloody good excuse to not bother doing anything in just about every walk of life.
But it’s not good enough. I’ve had to bend over backwards to keep my customers served with lime and haulage.
In tricky times you go the extra mile not just shrug and forget it.

Exactly this it had replaced Brexit as the catch all excuse, and as you say we have all managed to keep farms going and customers happy through the pandemic. My daughter is at Kings doing language and it is disgusting what she has missed, yet still had to pay full fees and accommodation costs.

 

[JLLM]

Daughter has just done PA1 & 2 with her course at Harper, also done a H&S course and is doing first aid next month, comes in handy at farm assurance time.

 

[jg123]

I went to Harper, was 15yrs ago now but even then I didnt sit in a tractor seat for even an hour other than when I did Pa1 and pa2 which was not part if my course but in my free time at the college.

Thier reasoning was that i was doing a BSC degree and to warrant the qualification it had to be fairly technical and science based (the same as if you did a bsc in biology)

I understand that but i think they miss sell the course to farmers a lot, my favourite year was placement when I hardly touched a pen but probably learnt the most

 

[Cab-over Pete]

How long has he been there Pete?

He’s half way through his second year.

 

[Kevtherev]

He’s half way through his second year.

He should be doing most types of fieldwork on tractors by now
Not backing trailers in cones that’s year one stuff.

 

[Still Farming]

He’s half way through his second year.

Agriculture "general course" bit like that but get in touch with his lecturer and ask about extra higher education course available at the place.
Shocked if in 2nd year and still just basic, plodding through scenario still? ☹

Example extra courses at Hartpury:-

Additional Courses for FE & HE Hartpury Students | Hartpury

estore.hartpury.ac.uk

 

[Cab-over Pete]

What I find a real shame is that he’s a capable lad who needs pushing on a bit.
I know that sounds biased and a bit like I think he’s something special, but he’s a good operator of kit and wants to know more about how it actually works as well as just warming a seat. His academic work is excellent and he puts a lot of hours into it. This weekend he’s milking, 5am starts, home at 8.30, a few hours on his laptop, back for 2.30 and milking again so he keeps his shoulder to the wheel.
I can’t fault his work ethic, it’s just that his qualifications after two years won’t look much on paper because he wasn’t offered all he could do.
He’s not interested in a degree, as much as we’ve tried to encourage that. He wants to travel and then come home, shove me into a rocking chair and crack on. He’ll be fine and hard work will get him where he wants to be I’m sure, but he and his year group at college are being let down in my opinion.

 

[JPB]

We did a fair bit to be fair, did a few days muck spreading, ploughing, basic tractor reversing, dairy duties, de Horning, lambing, fencing etc. Fairly good range at a medium level, there's some bits I wish I took more notice of now really! They put us through telehandler and pa1 and pa2 tests and I paid for a chainsaw certificate myself

 

[serf]

Moreton is a joke nowadays, just horses and the like , ag is a secondary thought to the place , the 70s/80s /90s heydays are long gone unfortunately...

 

[Still Farming]

What I find a real shame is that he’s a capable lad who needs pushing on a bit.
I know that sounds biased and a bit like I think he’s something special, but he’s a good operator of kit and wants to know more about how it actually works as well as just warming a seat. His academic work is excellent and he puts a lot of hours into it. This weekend he’s milking, 5am starts, home at 8.30, a few hours on his laptop, back for 2.30 and milking again so he keeps his shoulder to the wheel.
I can’t fault his work ethic, it’s just that his qualifications after two years won’t look much on paper because he wasn’t offered all he could do.
He’s not interested in a degree, as much as we’ve tried to encourage that. He wants to travel and then come home, shove me into a rocking chair and crack on. He’ll be fine and hard work will get him where he wants to be I’m sure, but he and his year group at college are being let down in my opinion.

Sounds like it sadly.
All to do with the one to one , good group keen to get on ,anot lark about with the masses all the time ,if you know what I mean.
Get on to his lecturer and year leader if not Principal and say no happy.
I know not good to change if year 2 of a 2 year course as not many weeks left if you condense it ,but worth thinking of possibly?
What's apprenticeships like after course or day release situations or on job courses etc

 

[betweenthelines]

TBF for something like a telehandler cert I'd want the trainee to get a good few days experience in using one in a practical situation rather than half a dozen candidates doing a one or two day course where they only use one on an exam.

Wouldn't want someone turning up at a new job with all the certificates but their only hands on experience was the day they took the test.

 

[Cab-over Pete]

He isn’t interested in any more education. He can’t wait to travel, New Zealand first, US combine run, maybe British Antarctic Survey, who knows.

He will learn more from those experiences than faffing about at college. I just want my kids to get as much from everything as they can, and it hasn’t been a good start.

 

[Renaultman]

TBF for something like a telehandler cert I'd want the trainee to get a good few days experience in using one in a practical situation rather than half a dozen candidates doing a one or two day course where they only use one on an exam.

Wouldn't want someone turning up at a new job with all the certificates but their only hands on experience was the day they took the test.

I get the distinct impression that Pete's lad could show most instructors a thing or 2 about telehandlers.

 

[Cab-over Pete]

TBF for something like a telehandler cert I'd want the trainee to get a good few days experience in using one in a practical situation rather than half a dozen candidates doing a one or two day course where they only use one on an exam.

Wouldn't want someone turning up at a new job with all the certificates but their only hands on experience was the day they took the test.

Yes, that’s a given, but you need the piece of paper and the best place to do that is while you’re at a place of education.
It was promised, but is not being provided .

 

[Cab-over Pete]

I get the distinct impression that Pete's lad could show most instructors a thing or 2 about telehandlers.

He can operate them well for his age, no doubt. I’m not saying he’s an expert, he needs more experience for that, but if all these kids leave college without the bits of paper to wave about then they are at a disadvantage whether old buggers like us think it or not.

 

[Ali_Maxxum]

What is the course he's on? Level 3 extended diploma in? I'm sure I've read this thread carefully so apologies if I missed it!

I left Hartpury 10 years ago this June, jeez when I say it like that that's pretty mental....

I did the land based tech, which was basically what I would call ag engineering, spannering, engines, hydraulic, electrics, work shop skills, etc. Was straight into it in the first week.

I must have been the only person up there that actually didn't want to do any tractor work, as, not being big headed, I could already do a lot of it and did more than enough of it at home. It was quite staggering how many simply did not have a clue though, considering 90% were farm kids!

There was loads of 'short courses' available but because of numbers of students you could only do one per year, my first ear I did my chainsaw and 2nd I did the telehandler.

The 'mechanisation' students did a bit of work shop stuff and spannering, the AG course in my eyes was just for animals and growing crops and charging around on tractors with absolutely 0 mechnical knowledge or sympathy for anything.

Might be worth a call to his tutor perhaps?

 

[Renaultman]

He can operate them well for his age, no doubt. I’m not saying he’s an expert, he needs more experience for that, but if all these kids leave college without the bits of paper to wave about then they are at a disadvantage whether old buggers like us think it or not.

I know in some ways it's sad. I was brought up in the here's the keys work it out yourself generation but tbh there has to be a middle ground. To do a standard forklift course is 3 days and is only valid for the fork lift you take it on,
My son did a materials handling course, his piece of paper is only valid for a standard telehandler and only for bucket work. At the time we had a pivot steer and did everything with it.

 

[Cab-over Pete]

Level 3 Extended Diploma in Agriculture

I was assured it was equivalent to the old NDA but I don’t think they’re covering anything like as broad a range of subjects.

 

[Renaultman]

Level 3 Extended Diploma in Agriculture

I was assured it was equivalent to the old NDA but I don’t think they’re covering anything like as broad a range of subjects.

When I did my OND, which became an NDA we did all sorts a week on the dairy unit, plough one length of a field, basic tractor maintenance, and I mean very basic, along with all the bookwork, like most I learned more in my middle year, no tickets though as we didn't need them in the olden days.

 

[Still Farming]

What is the course he's on? Level 3 extended diploma in? I'm sure I've read this thread carefully so apologies if I missed it!

I left Hartpury 10 years ago this June, jeez when I say it like that that's pretty mental....

I did the land based tech, which was basically what I would call ag engineering, spannering, engines, hydraulic, electrics, work shop skills, etc. Was straight into it in the first week.

I must have been the only person up there that actually didn't want to do any tractor work, as, not being big headed, I could already do a lot of it and did more than enough of it at home. It was quite staggering how many simply did not have a clue though, considering 90% were farm kids!

There was loads of 'short courses' available but because of numbers of students you could only do one per year, my first ear I did my chainsaw and 2nd I did the telehandler.

The 'mechanisation' students did a bit of work shop stuff and spannering, the AG course in my eyes was just for animals and growing crops and charging around on tractors with absolutely 0 mechnical knowledge or sympathy for anything.

Might be worth a call to his tutor perhaps?

Same now.
Think Pete's Lad maybe on wrong course possibly?