Hillside Farm
Kelmscott Senior High School operates the Rural Skills Program for Year 10 students.
The Program is run at Hillside Farm located about 11km from the school in Martin.
It is open to any student with an interest in employment in the agricultural sector or specifically horticulture and animal husbandry.
The Rural Skills Program is designed to give students the experience of a workplace. It does not operate ‘classes’ as such.
Rather, the students work in small teams to learn skills and accomplish tasks during their workday. Instruction is provided by teachers and Agricultural Technical Officers. The ATOs are industry specialists who bring a broad range knowledge and skills.
Rural Skills students are expected to perform daily tasks in an independent safety conscious manner. They are given the opportunity to operate tools and machinery. The tasks assigned are those used to operate a small agricultural holding. Activities include hay crop production, handling cattle being prepared for the Royal Show, minor construction, vehicle use and maintenance (including driver training for ATVs), workshop training in the use of small tools, compressors, and welding, fencing and many others.
The Rural Skills Program is taught as a Technologies unit with students assigned a grade. In the future it is hoped that a Certificate 1 will be offered to start students on their journey to gain trade qualifications.
Applicants for the Program are called for in Term 4, however, interested students should contact Mr Edmondson, Head of Department Agriculture, to register their interest.