Tractor driving courses for 13-15-year-olds are up and running in Northern Ireland for the summer and are being run by the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE).
In the North, from the age of 13 you must obtain a certificate of competence in tractor driving to operate agricultural vehicles on the farm.
Colin Alexander, CAFRE Short Course Manager, has said that with the school holidays now upon us, many of the younger members on the family farm will be helping out with the day-to-day tasks.
This will inevitably involve working with and around agricultural vehicles and the associated implements, he said.
Alexander advised that it is vitally important for everyone to be aware of the legislation regarding vehicle licensing for young teenagers.
The Agriculture (Safety of children and young person’s) Regulation (Northern Ireland) 2006 and Approved Code of Practice (ACoP) addresses the risks to young people from agricultural activities, and in particular those arising from agricultural machinery and from hazards found in and around the farmyard.
During July and August CAFRE will be running these very popular courses for 13 to 15-year-olds at its Greenmount and Loughry Campuses.
“At CAFRE we provide a selection of tractors and equipment to give young people as a wide a range of experience as possible.
“All our courses are taught by experienced instructors who will guide your son or daughter through the training and assessment process,” Alexander said.
These courses are now available to book on the CAFRE website.
