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Emerald Agricultural College
The College offers full time (Certificate & Diploma courses),
short courses and traineeships in cotton.
Full Time Courses
Course Information:
Boasting a 500 hectare irrigated farm, the College specialises
in the production of cotton. Students are an integral part
of the cotton production team, with the learning cycle aligned
to the cotton production cycle.
Ø At the beginning of the year students study the
basics of cropping, in the areas of tractor operation, plant
science, plant nutrition, soils and occupational health and
safety.
Ø During the second term students prepare the ground
for the next cotton crop. This involves pupae busting, soil
sampling, application of fertilizers and weed control.
Ø As the season progresses students become Ag Chem
accredited, which is required for the purchase and use of
certain pesticides. Pre-emergent herbicides are applied and
prewatering commenced.
Ø Students plant the cotton crop throughout September.
Ø During growth, students carry out cultivation, side
dressing of nitrogen fertilizers, irrigation, check for pests
and apply herbicides as required.
Ø Working with the cotton pickers and following the
cotton through the cotton gin process and classing, completes
their learning experience of the cotton crop.
Ø Various trials of new pesticides and technology
are carried out on the College, exposing the students to current
research methods and information.
Cereals, Legumes and Oilseeds
The College also uses dryland farming methods to produce a
variety of other crops such as wheat, sunflower, sorghum,
maize and soya beans, depending on the crop rotation plan.
This gives students exposure to both dryland and irrigated
farming, and summer and winter crops.
A small horticultural plot, growing grapes, citrus and mangoes,
gives the students an insight into the quickly developing
perennial crop industry on the Highlands.
Career Opportunities
Suitably qualified employees are in high demand by the cotton
industry. Year after year the College is unable to fill the
employment requests it receives. Students receive excellent
jobs in an industry renowned for high wages and good working
conditions.
Graduates can start out as trainee agronomists for large
privately or cooperatively owned cotton properties and work
up to agronomist. Many graduates work in the support industries
for cotton; the fertilizer companies such as Incitec, Pivot,
the resellers such as IAMA, Cotton Growers Services and Queensland
Cotton, or the many private consultants within the cotton
industry. Graduates also work on farms starting as farm hands
and moving up to farm managers, or return home to assist on
the family property.
Courses
Ø Certificate III in Agriculture - Cotton Production
(1 Year)
Ø Certificate IV in Agriculture - Cotton Production
(1 Year)
Ø Diploma in Agriculture - Cotton Production (2 Years)
*Cotton training is also available in the General Agriculture
courses.
Short courses
Emerald Agricultural College offers an extensive range of
short courses, developed to meet the needs of the cotton industry.
Course areas:
Ø Technical agricultural topics, eg agronomy, plant
nutrition
Ø Skill areas requiring compulsory accreditation, eg
agricultural chemicals
Ø Business management subjects, eg commodity marketing
Ø Personal development, eg communication skills, time
management
Training programs are also developed for specific needs and
may be delivered at locations away from the College.
Traineeships and Apprenticeships
Traineeships and apprenticeships are an option for those
students wishing to enter the workforce and earn while they
learn. Put simply, they are jobs which combine work and structured
training. Training is conducted both on and off-the-job, with
the College providing training materials and support, site
visits and assessment.
Traineeships and apprenticeships can be completed full or
part time and started while at school. On successful completion
the trainee or apprentice is awarded a qualification that
is recognised by industry throughout Australia. Subsidies
are available to assist employers towards wages and living
away from home allowance may apply.
Contact Details:
Capricorn Highway (PO Box 257)
EMERALD QLD 4720
Phone: (07) 4982 8777
Freecall: 1800 828 777
Facsimile: (07) 4982 8710
Email: eacinfo@eac.qld.edu.au
Web: www.eac.qld.edu.au
Information supplied by and with permission of Rowena Otto
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