The UBKA has a well-organised educational system. UBKA has enhanced our education programme and runs a newly revised educational system for beekeepers in conjunction with the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise, CAFRE and the Open College Network Northern Ireland, OCNNI.
OCNNI is responsible for ensuring that the quality and standard of our courses are correct by a robust auditing system. UBKA is the first main organisation to undertake this change.
The UBKA currently offers accredited beekeeping training courses at two levels, with the intention of developing courses for higher level study soon.
There are two courses so far.
Introduction to Beekeeping
This is the beginner’s course which teaches the basics of honeybee natural history and how we look after them.
Introduction to Beekeeping is taught by several associations around Northern Ireland – Belfast, Randalstown, Mid Antrim, Mid Ulster, Fermanagh, Dromore, Three Rivers and Killinchy.
Proficiency in Beekeeping
This is the next level in education and goes into much more detail on bee biology and beekeeping practices.
Proficiency in Beekeeping is taught at Randalstown, Belfast, Fermanagh and Three Rivers.