Livestock Unit Technician
Level 3
The Livestock Unit Technician apprenticeship has been designed to develop the skills, knowledge and behaviours to allow an employee to operationally manage the livestock related tasks on a farm such as animal health and welfare from conception and birth through to the customer; and to support business productivity.
The individual will make key decisions on a day-to-day basis to ensure the protection of their own and health and safety of others. This includes ensuring the standards of cross compliance, farm assurance, biosecurity and infrastructure security are met. The Livestock Unit Technician will usually only work with one species. The role will include the safe use and maintenance of farm vehicles, including the equipment used for transporting or producing feed. The individual will be required to understand, record and meet the business Key Performance Indicators that are set out by the employer.
What all apprentices will learn
- Health and Safety processes and practices relevant to livestock management
- The digestive process of commonly farmed livestock
- The legal and operational aspects of livestock record keeping
- Breeding and production cycles for commonly farmed livestock
- The different types of technology and systems used in livestock production e.g robotic milking, EID tagging, GPS tracking
- legislation applicable to working with farm equipment.
Further information the knowledge, skills and behaviours that will be developed can be found HERE
Qualifications
- Apprenticeship Certificate
- Level 2 City & Guilds Principles of Safe Handling and Application of Pesticides Guidance or Lantra Safe use of Pesticides
- Level 2 in Safe Use of Veterinary Medicines
- Level 3 Award in Emergency First Aid at Work
Optional Qualifications
- Lantra award in tractor driving
- Lantra award in forklift driving
- Lantra award in rough terrain telescope handling
- C&G award in crop spraying (PA1)
- C&G award in air assisted spraying (PA3)
- C&G award in knapsack spraying (PA6)
- C&G award in safe use in brush cutters and strimmers
Optional qualifications come at an additional cost. Please visit our LandPro Training page for further information.
End Point Assessment
- Portfolio of Evidence
- Multiple Choice Test
- Practical Observation plus Questions
- Professional Discussion supported by Portfolio of Evidence
Apprenticeship Graded
Pass or Distinction
Delivery Model
Regular learning, skills and knowledge assessment and research work at Plumpton College alongside blended online learning. Attendance at college on average every fortnight (term time only) with quarterly workplace competency and efficiency observation, assessments and reviews.
Course details
| Duration |
15 practical period with 3-month EPA window |
|---|
Entry Requirements
Entry criteria is set by the employer; however, you must be in a role that will allow you the opportunity to develop your skills, knowledge and behaviours as a General Farm Worker. Additionally, Apprentices without level 2 English and maths will need to achieve this level prior to taking the End-Point Assessment.
Facilities
Apprentices will have practical workshops at Plumpton’s Lamberts farm consisting of 2000 acres in the most beautiful setting of the South Downs with 300 dairy cow herd, large pig herd and extensive sheep flock and pedigree Sussex beef herd. Access to the latest technology available in the agriculture sector alongside teaching and farm staff that have many years' industrial experience and excellent relationships within the local farming community.
