Courses

Certificate in Environmental & Countryside Practices

This is a 1 year course aimed at those who want to gain experience in a range of practical skills, such as habitat management, fencing, footpath work and tractor driving.


It will also provide a thorough understanding of how and why the practical work carried out is done.

Units include :

Physical Landscape of Scotland - This unit investigates the processes which shape our landscape such weathering and erosion and the landforms that these produce. It will also provide you with an introduction to the effects of simple rock structures, and major environmental changes on the physical landscape of Scotland.

Trees in the Environment - This unit looks at the use of trees and woodlands within the wider natural and social environment.

Tractor Operation 1 - This unit provides an introduction to the skills and knowledge necessary to safely use and service wheel driven tractors.

Fence construction - This module will enable you to plan and carry out a fencing project; from identifying the materials required to calculating the amounts needed.  This will culminate in the construction of the planned fence.

Routine Estate Maintenance - This module will help you to develop the practical skills and the knowledge to carry out a range of activities such as: repairing gates, retensioning fence wires, repairing estate roads and tracks and operating lawn mowers/strimmers.

Building and repairing drystone dykes - The purpose of this unit is to give you the knowledge and skills to strip out and repair drystone dykes.

Communications Int 1* - This unit helps to develop skills such as comprehension (reading and extracting information from a passage of text) and those needed to produce simple written communications and oral presentations.

Numeracy Int 1* - This unit will develop skills in reading and using simple scales, taking information from graphs as well as drawing graphs and applying numerical skills in everyday situations.

Information Technology Int 1* - This unit will introduce you to using an IT system e.g. using the mouse and keyboard effectively. Processing data and using the internet to source information.

Work Experience Int 1 - This unit will help you develop planning, organisational, investigative and interpersonal skills, as well as self-awareness through work experience.

MER Ecosystems Int 1* - On completion of this unit you will be able to investigate, describe and solve problems related to simple ecosystems and the biotic and abiotic factors that influence them.

MER Land use Int 1* - This unit is designed to give you an overview of the different land uses in Scotland and to introduce you some of the advantages and disadvantages of these uses.

MER Environmental Issues Int 1* - This unit gives you the opportunity to investigate and understand your local environment and how it has been shaped by mans' management.

Investigating Animal Wildlife - This unit provides an introduction to basic taxonomy, identification skills, information collection and the application of field craft skills to study animals.

Contribute to Health, Safety of the Workplace - This unit will raise awareness of identifying and preventing hazards in the workplace, how to limit the damage caused to people and property in the event of an accident or emergency and how to contribute to maintaining the security of the workplace.

Local Investigations Int 2 - By the end of this unit you should have planned and undertaken a local investigation. You will have sustained working relationships within a team to analyse, plan and implement a local investigation. Finally, you should have evaluated the impact of the unit on your own personal and social development.

Wildlife Conservation 1 - This unit identifies habitats and their characteristic wildlife; looks at how to recognise land use change and associated changes in species and the aims of wildlife conservation organisations and legislation resulting from this.

Wildlife Conservation 2  -  Following on from the previous unit, Wildlife Conservation 2 will enable you to identify factors which may be used to justify the conservation of an area. You should be able to prepare a conservation map for an area and devise a simple conservation management plan.

First Aid at Work is a four-day course followed by an external exam resulting in an HSE First-Aid at Work qualification.

Tree and Shrub planting (Int 1) - By the end of this unit you will have an appreciation of the factors to bear in mind when lifting, planting and maintaining trees and shrubs. You will also be able to plant bare-rooted and container grown plants and trees.

Working as a volunteer to support a community project - This unit will enable you to explain the role of volunteers on community projects, work as part of a team to plan and implement a project and evaluate your own performance as part of a project team.

Units marked with an * may be studied at Intermediate level 1 or intermediate level 2.

Some students choose this course as an alternative to 6th year at school.  Many older students use it to develop their study skills and achieve a qualification which enables them to go onto higher studies.

Entry requirements

Essential - Core Skills at Access level 3 or above.  This requirement can be tested at interview.

Desirable - Enthusiastic, hard worker prepared to get involved in all aspects of the course both practical and classroom based
- Interest in subject areas such as geography, environmental studies, history.

Progression

Progression to HNC is at the discretion of the College and students may be eligible to progress on successful completion of all units on the Certificate course.

Additional information

Study Tour 4 nights/5 days in Aviemore studying different approaches to Estate management

Start date

 September each year

Finish date

Early June each year

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