Program details: Certificate II in Rural Operations
Kick-start your career in rural operations with the Certificate II in Rural Operations AHC21216.
Designed for senior secondary students (Years 10, 11 and 12) as part of UQ Skills’ High School Program, this entry-level qualification will provide you with foundational skills to work across the agriculture or horticulture industries.
You'll gain the skills and knowledge to:
- understand industry work health and safety requirements
- understand and perform livestock health and care
- perform livestock handling.
How you’ll learn
This program is delivered over 12 months (4 high school terms), through a combination of online and face-to-face activity.
During school term you'll attend training at:
- Gatton-based model: UQ Gatton one day per week
- School-based model: on site at your school (minimum student numbers required)
Assessment
You will be assessed through written assessments, online quizzes, skills portfolios and practical demonstrations.
Start date
22 January 2025
- Term 1: 28 January — 4 April
- Term 2: 22 April — 27 June
- Term 3: 14 July — 19 September
- Term 4: 7 October — 12 December
There are no entry requirements for this program.
You can apply for this program if you are in Years 10, 11 or 12 at an approved high school and have the approval of your parent/guardian and school.
Language, Literacy and Numeracy (LLN) testing
You’re required to complete a language, literacy and numeracy test as part of the enrolment process. This helps us identify and plan for any learning or support needs you may have before you start your training.
Recognition of Prior Learning
If you have recent work experience you may be eligible to apply for Recognition of Prior Learning.
Create your USI
You must provide a Unique Student Identifier (USI) before we can accept your enrolment.
Resources
2024 UQ Skills Student Handbook (PDF, 2.7 MB) (includes student support and guidance on fees, withdrawal and other policy information).
Third-party arrangements
UQ Skills has a third-party arrangement with Gympie State High School and Nambour Christian College to deliver training and assessment to their students on behalf of UQ Skills. In this arrangement, UQ Skills is the Principal RTO.
At all times, the Principal RTO is responsible for the quality of the training and assessment you will receive in compliance with Standards for RTOs 2015, and for the issuance of the Australian Qualifications Framework certification documentation.
These standards set out the requirements that an organisation must meet in order to be an RTO and ensure the integrity and quality of nationally recognised training provided by registered training organisations.
You won't have to pay a student contribution fee for the Certificate II in Rural Operations AHC21216 if you are a high school student and eligible for Vocational Education and Training in Schools (VETiS) funding.
- VETiS-funded: fee free
- Full fee: $4,150 (discounts may apply - contact us for more information)
In order to gain the Certificate II in Rural Operations AHC21216, you’ll need to successfully complete 3 core units and 12 electives.
Choose your electives from the list below to tailor your studies to specialise within:
- livestock
- equine
- natural area revegetation
- machinery and mechanisation
- nursery
- farm vehicles
- land management
- drones.
| Course | Course code |
|---|---|
| Participate in work health and safety processes | AHCWHS201 |
| Work effectively in the industry | AHCWRK204 |
| Participate in environmentally sustainable work practices | AHCWRK209 |
| Course | Course code |
|---|---|
| Handle livestock using basic techniques | AHCLSK205 |
| Muster and move livestock | AHCLSK210 |
| Identify and draft livestock | AHCLSK308 |
| Monitor water supplies | AHCLSK209 |
| Provide feed for livestock | AHCLSK211 |
| Carry out regular livestock observation | AHCLSK204 |
| Identify and mark livestock | AHCLSK206 |
| Load and unload livestock | AHCLSK207 |
| Handle horses safely | ACMEQU212 |
| Prepare to work safely around horses | ACMEQU214 |
| Apply chemicals under supervision | AHCCHM201 |
| Treat weeds | AHCPMG201 |
| Perform basic ecological restoration works | AHCECR203 |
| Maintain native ecosystem areas | AHCECR301 |
| Operate tractors | AHCMOM202 |
| Undertake operational maintenance of machinery | AHCMOM204 |
Operate machinery and equipment, or | AHCMOM304 AHCMOM203 |
| Undertake propagation activities | AHCNSY207 |
| Maintain nursery plants | AHCNSY308 |
| Operate side-by-side utility vehicles | AHCMOM216 |
| Operate quad bikes | AHCMOM217 |
| Operate and maintain chainsaws (this unit is a prerequisite for AHCPCM205) | AHCMOM213 |
| Fell small trees (Operate and maintain chainsaws AHCMOM213 is the prerequisite for this unit) | AHCPCM205 |
| Inspect, clean machinery, tools and equipment to preserve biosecurity | AHCBIO203 |
| Plan and construct conventional fencing | AHCINF307 |
| Prepare livestock for competition | AHCLSK316 |
| Conduct front-end loader operations | AHCMOM207 |
| Monitor weather conditions | AHCWRK314 |
| Operate multi-rotor remote pilot aircraft systems | AVIY0027 |
Careers
You may find employment in a range of rural and regional sectors, including as a:
- animal attendant
- stockperson
- farm worker or labourer
- station worker or labourer
- station hand.
Pathways to further study
You can use your Certificate II in Rural Operations AHC21216 qualification as a pathway to further study into:
High school students: pathway to the Certificate III in Rural Operations AHC32822
Once you've completed your Certificate II in Rural Operations AHC21216, you may wish to continue your studies and complete the Certificate III in Rural Operations AHC32822 during your next school year.
You can transfer credit from your Certificate II into the Certificate III, which means you'll only need to successfully complete 3 additional core units and at least one elective cluster to gain the higher qualification. You can complete a second elective cluster if you wish. Contact us for details.
Program structure of the Certificate III in Rural Operations AHC32822
| Course | Course code |
|---|---|
| Contribute to work health and safety processes | AHCWHS302 |
| Apply environmentally sustainable work practices | AHCWRK320 |
| Apply biosecurity measures | AHCBIO303 |
| Course | Course code |
|---|---|
| Level 3 chemicals | |
| Control weeds | AHCPMG301 |
| Transport and store chemicals | AHCHM304 |
| Prepare and apply chemicals to control pests, weeds and diseases | AHCCHM307 |
| Livestock | |
| Implement animal health control programs | AHCLSK309 |
| Implement feeding plans for livestock | AHCLSK311 |
| Comply with industry animal welfare requirements | AHCLSK331 |
Fees and funding for the Certificate III in Rural Operations AHC32822
- 6 units (3 core units + 1 elective cluster): $1,050
- 9 units (3 core units + 2 elective clusters): $1,575