Richmond campus ‘abuzz’ with new programme

The new Level 2 New Zealand Certificate in Primary Industry Skills – Apiculture(external link) programme sits alongside specialised apiculture courses available at NMIT Te Pūkenga. It is designed for anyone curious about the industry and keen to gain useful general knowledge.

Richmond’s apiculture tutor Scott Williamson is an experienced beekeeper and keen to share his knowledge with others in the community.

“This programme gives people a taste of beekeeping coupled with the skills they need to be part of the commercial bee keeping industry,” he says.

Scott has been a hobby and commercial beekeeper for more than 25 years. He currently runs about 150 hives and is involved in all aspects of the bee keeping industry, from honey production through lesser-known products such as pollen, bee venom and raising queen bee rearing.

He is an experienced tutor, teaching both beekeeping and other related subjects for more than 10 years.

“I love meeting fresh new beekeepers and getting them started right on their bee keeping journey,” Scott says.

Whether you’re interested in a career in apiculture or thinking about having a hive in your backyard, the programme will give you valuable insight into the health and safety aspects, beehive construction, understanding bee biology and the legal requirements for owning bees and producing honey.

“Anyone can have up to two hives, as long as they are managed well and not a nuisance to neighbours or the public,” Scott says.

This apiculture programme, which is fees free, is running in both the Marlborough and Richmond campuses from 30 September 2023. Students will attend an on-campus workshop every second Saturday and an online class on alternate weekends.

For more information or to apply, visit our website(external link).