This programme is designed to provide graduates with the skills and knowledge required to carry out apiculture operations in apiculture environments. Learners will gain industry relevant skills and can apply these skills under limited supervision. Skills include use of apiculture equipment, lifecycles of bees, disease management, roles of plants in beekeeping, constructing and establishing beehives, swarm management, beehive products, transportation of hives, feeding bees, honey harvesting and extraction and safe chemical handling. Students will also make their own hive and they will own it at the end of the programme.
| Course Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| Beekeeping Environment | |
| LBTBP3 | Plants for Bees and their Roles |
| LBTLB3 | Lifecycle and Behaviour of Bees |
| LBTWB3 | Wintering Beehives |
| LBTSC3 | Swarming and Swarm Management |
| LBRHP3 | Beehive Products |
| LBTBF3 | Basic Fencing |
| Beekeeping Tasks | |
| LBTAE3 | Apiculture Equipment |
| LBTCR3 | Constructing and Repairing Beehives |
| LBTFB3 | Bee Nutrition and Feeding |
| LBTEB3 | Establishing Hives in New Sites |
| LBTEH3 | Extraction Process |
| LBTPT3 | Transport Beehives |
| LBTHH3 | Carry out Honey Harvesting |
| Beehive Pests and Diseases | |
| LBTAB3 | American Foulbrood (AFB) |
| LBTCH3 | Safe Chemical Use in Beekeeping |
| LBTPD3 | Pests and Diseases of Honeybees |
| Beehive Disease Management | |
| LBTRQ3 | Requeen a Beehive |
| LBTDM3 | Beehive Disease Management Plan |
| LBTVM3 | Varroa Destructor |
Outcome Statement
Graduates of this programme will be able to:
- maintain, manipulate and operate beehives to produce quality
- assist to transport beehives and bee products, and establish hives in new sites
- apply knowledge of pest and disease control methods to carry out beehive disease management plan.
Education Pathways
This qualification is an entry point for apiculture training and may lead onto the New Zealand Certificate in Apiculture (Level 4) [Ref: 2224], or the New Zealand Certificate in Apiculture (Level 4) (Queen Bee Rearing) [Ref: 2225].
Employment Pathways
A graduate of this certificate can work as an assistant beekeeper for a commercial operator
Duration of Study
21 weeks full time or 40 weeks part time
Entry Criteria
Academic Achievement
Applicants should demonstrate an ability to succeed in tertiary study, shown by the completion of any of the following qualifications or courses of study:
- Step 3 Reading and Step 4 Numeracy on the Literacy and Numeracy for Adults Assessment Tool (LNAAT)
Hives: As LBT has hives across the county and students will have access to these hives while attending the programme.
English Second Language Students
Applicants whose first language is not English, or who come from a country where the language of instruction in schools or other teaching institutions is not English, require an ELTS (International English Language Testing System) score of 5.5 or above (or equivalent) for enrolment.
Life Skills/Work Experience
Applicants who do not meet the academic entry criteria above may be admitted to the programme/course of study if they are able to demonstrate:
- Equivalent apiculture knowledge and skills; (minimum of 2 years)
Selection Criteria
All applicants will be required to meet with the tutor or field officer of the programme they are applying for prior to starting – this will be an informal conversation which will include covering the programme expectations and getting a better understanding of suitability for the programme. Where there are more applicants than places available or the programme is not the best fit, a waiting list will be kept or our team will work with you to provide a suitable alternative. On completion of this conversation the tutor will assist with filling in the full application form to move into the next part of the enrolment process.
The following will be required for you to successfully complete this programme however they do not all need to be bought at the start (your tutor will talk to you about what items will be needed when):
| Item | Approximate Value |
|---|---|
| Complete Bee Suit (standard basic suit) | $170.00 |
| Gloves (standard) | $40.00 |
| Hive Tool | $15.00 |
| Nucleus Hive | $200.00 |
| Varroa Treatments | $20.00 |
| Smoker | $40.00 |
| LEVY (The rate of levy for 2023 is $40 ($46 including GST) per beekeeper and $1.70 ($1.87 including GST) per bee colony owned by each beekeeper as at 31 March.) https://afb.org.nz/levy-payments/ | $46.00 minimum |
| Approximate Total | $531.00 |
Note: These are not fixed prices / cost. LBT has no control over these costs, as they can fluctuate at any time and will not take responsibility for this.
Applicants will require to cover the cost of Programme Fees and Course Related Cost of beekeeping equipment. At the end of the programme graduates can use this equipment to manage their own hive. Applicants can request a copy of the programme Fees and Course Related Cost at any time and this information is also in the Student Handbook. The equipment listed above is required to be purchased or supplied by the student to complete the programme. The approximate values indicated are approximate and for reference only (as prices will vary depending on who and where you purchase the equipment from and all prices will continually change with inflation).
Apiculture (Level 3) FAQs
- The workshops are held one day a fortnight, full 8-hour day (mainly weekends).
- We do not have the workshops on long weekends unless organized with the tutor and students.
- There may be a couple of back-to-back weekend workshops if required (season pending).
There are over 20 locations across the motu. Call us on 0508 TRAIN ME to find the nearest programme near you.
By the end of this course you will have completed the National Certificate in Apiculture (Level 3) which is an NZQA recognized qualification. This is the foundation of beekeeping and is sought after in the Apiculture Commercial Sector. If you have this certification, you have a much higher chance of being employed by Apiculture Companies.
- Kitset single box hive and frames
- Practical book
- Supplementary guide with the key information you need to complete the course
- Access to our online learning platform (Canvas)
- You cannot miss any more that three workshops over the duration of the course, you will fall behind and miss out on vital information.
- Let your tutor know if you are unable to attend a workshop and they can help you out.
You have additional ‘Self Directed Learning’ hours required to complete assessments, assignments and practical hours in yours/other’s beehives. These hours must be documented in a Hive Diary.
Each workshop runs for 8 hours. Around 5 hours of theory and 3 hours of Practical work in the hives.
It runs for 20 workshops over a 40-week period, the beekeeping calendar (approximately August to end of May).
- You must be a NZ or Australian citizen or have NZ residency. You cannot do this course if you are here on a work visa.
- The minimum age is 16.
- If you are still attending school, you will require a letter from your school allowing you to do this course.
- Call us on ‘0508 TRAIN ME’ if you have any other questions about enrolments and eligibility.
- This is a 65 credit NZQA course teaching you how to be an assistant beekeeper or to run hives of your own.
- You will achieve your NZQA Level 3 in Apiculture. Upon graduation of this course, you will be a confident, capable assistant beekeeper for commercial operations or as an independent beekeeper with a small number of beehives.
- 19 modules – from Apiculture equipment to extraction to wintering down.
Learn more by enquiring today…
I got my level 3 Dairy Farming through Land Based Training. It was so cool. I met nice people and the tutor is awesome. I class them all as the naki whanau
Yeah the best course around to be honest. Learnt so much!
I’m a level 2 Horticulture student and the tutors are so awesome and supportive. The other students are cool, we are a fun bunch. I have learnt so much in a short amount of time.
Awesome course, learning heaps & loving it! Free knowledge, a priceless gift I will always be grateful for.