Training Tender

BAACTI Training Courses – Expression of Interest

The Beekeepers Association of the ACT Incorporated (BAACTI) supports amateur beekeepers in the Canberra region through the provision of ongoing training courses covering beehive management, pest & disease control and honey extraction.

The BAACTI training team has ranked the importance of training for its members and public in the following order:

  1. Beekeeping for Beginners – With any interest that people participate in it is essential to have sound foundations. This course is envisaged for students that wish to obtain sound knowledge and practical skills for keeping honeybees. The aim of this course will be to give a complete beginner the knowledge, skills and confidence to keep their own bees.
  2. Pests and Diseases of Honey Bees – The identification and management of honey bee pests and diseases by urban beekeepers is an essential aim of BAACTI. Besides being good beekeeping practice, the ability to limit the spread of brood diseases, such as AFB, is one of the overarching aims of the association.
  3. Further Beekeeping and Special Interests – These courses are aimed at catering for the need for intermediate and advanced beekeeping, natural beekeeping practices and keeping native bees. There are significant interests within the association for these topics and we believe that the association should cater for them and ensure that courses on these topics are provided that adhere to good urban beekeeping practices.
  4. Honey Extraction & Products Handling – The intention of these courses will be to provide beekeepers with the knowledge and practical application for honey extraction and products handling.

We seek suitably qualified instructors to run courses on these topics.

Training Venue

The Jerrabomberra Wetlands (JW) Centre will be made available to run training courses through a central calendar booking system. JW features up to 20 demonstration hives and some nuclei that are managed by BAACTI, and includes the capacity to demonstrate framed and top-bar styles of beekeeping.

Please note:

  • JW has classroom facilities but these are heavily booked at weekends so courses can only be run when facilities are free.
  • JW is jointly managed by BAACTI, Canberra City Farm and the ACT Government, and course providers will need to be sensitive to the needs of other users, consulting closely with the Hive Manager.
  • We have a full barrier system in place to manage disease risks. We respectfully ask all trainers not to bring any tools or hive components into the apiary precincts.
  • We also share the site with other community groups including Canberra City Farm with whom we are good neighbours. Trainers are asked to make certain they advise course members that the fruit on the trees is not to be sampled and that other facilities be left strictly alone. They need it for their courses and to generate income.
  • We keep a first aid kit that includes epipens and these are to be used by trainers if needed.

 

 

Essential components:

 

Course Provider Submission:

Please provide proposed courses in writing to the Training Manager, covering the following:

  1. Name of provider and a brief beekeeping bio.
  2. Course outline and themes.
  3. Number of courses proposed per annum and approximate timing.
  4. Minimum and maximum number of students per course.
  5. Provider’s costs and fee associated with the provision of this course.
  6. What BAACTI are expected/needed to provide.
  7. Confirmation that you can meet the essential components noted above.

 

Please note that:

  • The club has a number of experienced beekeepers and keen novice members who have always been willing to be on hand. Please signal if you wish to have member support for training sessions.
  • We provide bees and all hive inspection gear is kept on site.
  • We have adopted a practice of only using clean hive tools in manipulating hives and has adopted an informal set of hive management rules to prevent hive cross-infection.