Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Agricultural courses on offer at HAC

Caption:  Certificate in agriculture farming graduates listen to guest speakers during their graduation last December

 

By SOLDIER BURUKA of DAL

 

Highlands Agricultural College (HAC) in Mount Hagen is offering agribusiness management training courses for the general public.

The college, operated by the Department of Agriculture and Livestock (DAL), has invited people working in agriculture and livestock industries and others to apply.

The agribusiness management course was formerly known as the plantation management training programme (PMTP).

The objective of the programme, reintroduced at the college three years ago, is to produce skilled graduates for the plantation sector and train field supervisors, cadet managers and graduates for family estates.

HAC acting principal Philip Senat said the college played an important role in conducting training for the agricultural sector workforce.

He said the demand for such agricultural training was high due to the growing agriculture sector and its importance as the backbone of the country’s economy.

 He said training of agricultural workers was an important activity being carried out by DAL through the college.

The college has in recent years introduced short to medium-term training programmes on specific agricultural topics besides the post-certificate diploma (PCD) in tropical agriculture.

This is to enable more agricultural workers and school leavers to be trained or refresh their knowledge and skills in agriculture.

 Mr Senat said this year, in addition to the pcd programme and certificate in agriculture farming,  the college was also offering the agribusiness management course and participants would receive certificates in operational skills and management skills.

 The courses are for plantation field supervisors, didiman store workers, assistant farm workers, co-operative farmers, and self-employed farmers.

 These applicants must have minimum qualification of Grade 10.

A certificate in management skills course (year two) is also available for those graduates who have successfully completed the operational skills course with PMTP under agribusiness management programme.

Course participants will be required to pay tuition fees and other fees, set by the college.

Boarders for the management skills course will pay a total of K1, 750 while day students will pay K1, 110.

 Operational skills participant boarders will pay K1, 550 and day students will pay K910.

The courses will commence on Aug 30.

Mr Senat said that unfortunately the college could only enroll a limited number of students during the year.

This is due mainly to limited accommodation facilities.

He urged interested people to contact the college on 76982419, 5202381, 5202384, or 76982417.

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