Providing a bright future in Agriculture
Forming an integral part of New Zealand’s farming history, Telford has been preparing students for their future in agriculture for more than 50 years.
A faculty of the Southern Institute of Technology | Te Pūkenga, Telford is situated near Balclutha; the well-equipped campus contains halls of residence (student accommodation), classrooms, and technical workshops (machinery, carpentry and welding), Equine facilities include indoor and outdoor arenas and a well-organised stable block.
The 856-hectare Telford Farms is run as a commercial entity. Home to a sheep and beef unit, dairy unit and forestry unit, students are provided with a realistic 'classroom' to develop their farming skills under the supervision of experienced tutors and farm managers. They gain real-life, practical training and participate in regular work experience on external farms, relevant to their area of study. Students are also given the opportunity to train their own working dog while studying at Telford.
Telford graduate Andy Somerfield is General Shepherd at Stoneburn Station, Otago. He says of Telford, “we did a lot of practical work and this shaped me. I learnt how to shear; the animal health content was very important – this
applied training and knowledge is used on a day-to-day basis in farming.”
Andy also learnt a lot about dogs and became very interested in how to train them; this was something he really enjoyed. A Telford tutor gave Andy his first heading dog.
“It was a good environment to learn in... the facilities were awesome, anything you needed was there. If you wanted to try something, you could,” he added.
Tamara Sands, who graduated Telford in 2020, says some of the most valuable information she learned was developing ‘stock sense’ – how to handle stock. It’s one of her core responsibilities working as a General Shepherd on a Central Otago hill country property. Tamara also gained a lot of confidence living away from home at the close-knit Telford
campus.
“Being out of my comfort zone helped me to grow up,” she says. Career wise, Tamara has found her niche.
“I’m living the dream - I love dogs, I love the hills, I love the lifestyle,” she says.
SIT Zero Fees Scheme Continues for 2024
For more than 20 years, SIT’s Zero Fees Scheme has helped students to achieve their goals by making their studies more affordable, and the scheme continues in 2024. Savvy Telford students can save thousands of dollars gaining their qualification, setting themselves up for success after graduation, less inhibited by student debt. Enrol now in a Telford programme. Enquiries are welcome.
Phone 03 419 0300 498 Owaka Highway, Balclutha for a full range of programmes go to: https://www.sit.ac.nz/campus/Telford?subject=Agriculture-Environmental-Life-Sciences