FROM farming and countryside management to environmental conservation, it is essential that those in the industry are equipped with the best skills and knowledge.

And at Coleg Gwent’s Usk campus, students studying full-time or part-time land-based courses are making sure that is exactly what they have. With facilities ranging from a 296-acre commercial farm in Usk to an animal care centre, equestrian centre, and a Blue Cross cat re-homing centre, students are provided with all the necessary training and experience needed to take on their future careers.

The fully operational farm is home to a 200-strong dairy herd, 250 sheep and a range of other farm animals.

Land-based students get hands-on agriculture and countryside management experience and get to grips with commercial arable and livestock systems.

Head of land based courses at Coleg Gwent Angela Lewis said the college offers a range of courses to suit the needs of their students.

“We offer full-time and part-time courses,” she said.

“Short courses include all-terrain vehicles; spraying and countryside management production; while full-time courses include animal heath and welfare; animal production and tractor driving.

“Full-time courses are generally taken by 16 to 18 year-olds as the part-time are short competency based ones which are often taken by people who own their own businesses or people who are sent by businesses.”

Learners can train in land-based courses including animal care, environmental conservation, countryside management, horse care and even a foundation degree in animal health and welfare.

There are also opportunities to brush up on professional skills with short courses including vehicle handling and safe use of pesticides.

Currently the college has 150 to 175 students. a number which varied every year depending on factors such as the economy and whether people are sent by their employers to learn new skills.

“It’s quite a good trade,” Ms Lewis added.

“Some of our learners go on to higher education –perhaps a degree in agriculture or animal studies or work for agricultural engineering companies.”

Most learners want to be farmers or farm managers, but Ms Lewis stressed that not everyone wants to become a farmer at the end their course – some want to be self-employed agricultural contractors.

Many students are successful because the courses teach them transferable skills with a focus on good communication skills and literacy and numeracy which are valuable in the industry.

Sam Clague, 18, of New Inn, is an Extended Diploma Agriculture Level 3 student. who didn’t come from a farming background.

“I’m not from a farming background but I’ve volunteered at Greenmeadow Community Farm since I was 14,” he said.

“I love being outside and learning about working with the machinery.

“We get to use equipment like tractors, ploughs and fertiliser spreaders.

“ It’s great that I have this place on my doorstep.

“I hope that my time here will enable me to go into full-time employment in farming.”

On courses such as animal health and welfare, students learn a range of practical and theory skills such as the difference between what healthy and unhealthy animals look like; and the skill of land scoring, where students can rate the animals' health in terms of whether that animal is obese or underweight.

Adele Morgan, 18, of Cwmbran, who is an Extended Diploma Level 3 Animal Management student, said: “I’ve always known I wanted to work with animals, and at college I get to spend time with a wide variety of them. she said.

From small animals like chickens and reptiles to larger animals like horses, cows and sheep, you get a good level of knowledge and practical experience.”

Lecturers have around 20 years of experience and students are also taught by tenant farmers at Usk farm.

On specialist subjects guest speakers are invited to the campus to educate students.

Heidi Turgis is the Animal Care lecturer, and a former student of Coleg Gwent Usk Campus.

She graduated six years ago and began teaching where she studied.

“At the moment students are learning about accommodation for livestock, but we cover a wide range of topics including health checks in calves and sheep and lambing,” she said.

“Students go on to university or straight in to work in an endless list of professions including veterinary practices, in farming, dog grooming, charity rescue shelters or even with exotic zoo animals," she said.

“There is also the option to go into teaching, like I did!”

And for the students – it’s not just about them being taught skills, they also have the opportunity to pass on what they have learnt to primary school pupils at an annual four-day event every spring. Students on land-based courses come together to host a ‘Countryside Experience’ for thousands of primary school children from 23 schools.

as they aim to involve children in outdoor life. enabling them to learn about and care for the natural environment in generations to come.

Ms Lewis said: “It’s a really positive -some of the kids from urban schools have never come face-to-face with live sheep and cows.”