For young people weighing up a career in agriculture, the question is no longer only where to study. It is where to gain the hands-on experience, industry exposure and practical skills the sector demands.
Agri Skills Transfer believes the answer lies where theory meets the soil. Ahead of its 2027 intake, the institution is expanding its programmes, facilities and industry partnerships with a clear goal: producing graduates who understand farming as both a production system and a business.
“The future of agriculture belongs to people who can combine knowledge with practical ability and understand the realities of production, says Laurika du Bois, marketing and communication manager at Agri Skills Transfer.
Based in Groenkloof, Pretoria, the institution offers National Diploma programmes in Animal Production and Plant Production. Practical training takes place at its Cullinan Farm Training Centre, where students see first-hand how production decisions play out in a working farm environment.
New building, new courses
A major development ahead of the 2027 academic year is a new building with residential facilities, intended to strengthen the learning environment for students who need accommodation during their studies.
The institution is also adding a QCTO Higher Occupational Certificate in Mixed Crop and Livestock Farming at NQF Level 5. The programme reflects the realities of South African agriculture, where successful farmers increasingly need to understand crop and livestock production, resource management and how different enterprises fit together.
A new Game and Wildlife Management course opens a further pathway for students drawn to the country’s growing game-farming and wildlife sector.
Guaranteed placements
From 2027, second-year National Diploma students will be guaranteed a workplace placement, backed by agreements and contracts with host farms.
The aim is to place students where they can gain meaningful experience related to their studies, building practical competence, professional networks and a clearer sense of what employers and commercial farming operations expect.
At Cullinan, students follow crop production from preparation and planting through to crop development, including maize and open-field planting.
On the livestock side, Agri Skills Transfer works with industry partners including Dan Bred in pig production and Design Biologix in beef cattle and dairy. It is also building relationships with organisations such as PICRSA and Bierman Poultry. Through these partnerships, students see how technology, genetics, production systems and specialist knowledge are applied beyond the classroom.
What the 2027 package includes
The institution describes its 2027 offering as a complete practical agricultural learning experience rather than simply a qualification.
Each student receives a personal protective equipment (PPE) set, including a branded jacket and trousers, safety boots, gumboots, a field hat, safety goggles, gloves and dust masks. Students also get an official branded field shirt for Nampo and other industry events, three branded work shirts and a toolbox of essential farm tools for practical training.
All course material is included, and guest lecturers bring additional industry knowledge into the classroom. Short courses worth more than R40 000 also form part of the package, along with the new Game and Wildlife Management course.
Residential students live in dormitory-style accommodation with en-suite facilities and a kitchenette, with Wi-Fi, laundry facilities and meals provided seven days a week.
Students will also take part in Nampo visits and other industry outings, connecting them with leading agricultural companies, technologies, equipment and best practices.
More than a qualification
Agri Skills Transfer argues that South Africa needs a new generation of agricultural professionals who understand production, technology, business and the changing demands of the sector.
Its 2027 offering is built around that principle: learn the theory, experience the practical, connect with industry and develop the confidence to build a future in agriculture.
The institution’s message to young people is that agriculture offers far more possibilities than many of them realise, and that a qualification can grow into a career, a business and a future.
At Agri Skills Transfer, it says, the classroom is only the beginning: “The farm is the laboratory, industry is the teacher, and the future is the destination.“
For more information, visit www.agriskills.net, call 012 002 3723 or WhatsApp 076 203 3816.
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