Introducing the brand-new Dairy Basics: Milking course
1 November 2024
Primary ITO has launched a new dairy short course providing an affordable and flexible option for all dairy farm staff, no matter what visa or residency status they have.
The new Dairy Basics: Milking course is suitable for farm assistants, relief milkers and experienced milkers who want to refresh their knowledge in milking and dairy plant hygiene. Upon completion learners will be able to describe and report on milking problems, risks to on-farm milk quality, and how to prevent and implement solutions to milk quality problems.
Learners will take part in interactive workshops similar to the one pictured above, where learners Totoo Tekee and Rebecca Kiwara put their knowledge into practice.
Primary ITO Sector Manager for Dairy, Marianne Awburn, says the new offering was developed in response to feedback from industry.
Further conversations with the farm and other employers and dairy processors across the country confirmed interest in a new offering. A cross-team collaborative effort at Primary ITO led to the new Dairy Basics course being available to industry in record time.
Learners will take part in two half-day off-job workshops, where they will complete a workbook and related activities. It is planned to include a field trip to help learners put the knowledge into practice.
“We aim to make the workshops really interactive and engaging for the learners,” Marianne says. “It’s a great opportunity for them to share their knowledge and experiences, and get to know other people in their community while learning new skills.”
Marianne says the development of the new course shows that Primary ITO is listening to industry needs.
“Our Training Advisers are on-farm talking to farmers every day. This is an example of a conversation helping to spark the development of a new offering that delivers what farmers are asking for.
“Several dairy processors who we work with are also keen to include this short course in their dairy farming excellence programmes.”
This is a non-formal course, meaning learners will not complete any formal assessment. They will receive a certificate of attendance upon completion. Although it’s non-formal, it has a similar level of content to a Level 3 programme.
The course cost is $425.50 (incl. GST) for all learners.
Find more information or register your interest in the new Dairy Basics: Milking course here.