Chem training goes big
From the May 2006 edition of Agriculture Today.
Chemical application courses have proved to be a major drawcard attracting farmers to a range of other training programs focused on sustainable agriculture in the Sydney region.
The courses are part of the five year Education and Training Plan for Sustainable Agriculture in the Sydney Region program launched in 2001.
Project co-ordinator, Linda Inglis, said 2372 Sydney region farmers attended chemical application courses between March 2001 and December 2005.
'A key factor in the success of the program is that the courses are very practical and also designed and resourced to overcome language and literacy problems,' she said.
'Of the farmers attending the chemical application course, 1062 had limited English language and literacy and needed bilingual support.
'Bilingual staff and literacy support teachers have been on hand to assist farmers from non-English speaking backgrounds who had not previously attended this kind of training and in some cases had no formal education.'
The courses have been funded by NSW Department of Education and Training (DET), Environmental Trust, Farmbiz and Workplace English Language and Literacy.
A measure of the success of the program is the large number of participants going on to attend further training in areas such as environmental management, quality assurance, fertiliser use, pests and diseases and water management.
'Completing the chemical application course was a major confidence booster for farmers who had not previously attended formal occupational training,' Ms Inglis said.
Up to the end of 2005, almost 700 farmers had gone on to attend other courses.
The Education and Training Plan for Sustainable Agriculture has also been supported by University of Western Sydney, NSW Health, Nepean Migrant Access, TAFE NSW, Rural Training Council of Australia, Hawkesbury Nepean Catchment Management Auth-ority, Horticulture Australia, NSW Farmers, NSW Freegrowers, Greenhouse Veg Australia, Cambodian Growers Association, NSW Chinese Growers and Australian Vietnamese Vegetable Growers.
