BBKA - General Husbandry Assessment

[Nellie]

And at county level when it comes to assessments

I certainly wouldn't see it as an insurmountable obstacle. None of the assessors I've spoken to have been ogres either. It's certainly not a case that I arrange an assessment and you either meet that date or you've had it. Circumstances change, I think everyone accepts that and there is a process where, if it comes to it, an exam or assessment can be deferred to the following year.

There's obviously more flexibility to re-arrange an assessment than sitting the exams which are on set dates.

I know the BBKA can often come across as a stuffy lot with a stick up their collective backsides, but that's not my experience of it when it comes to education and it might be worth a chat with your branch or County association education/exam rep before you write it off as undoable.

 

[Queens59]

Thanks Susbees, unfortunately that is just about polar opposite to the attitude locally. They simply were not interested in helping me at all in my beginner phase - we'll see. Maybe there has been new blood since I last tried relating to them...

 

[susbees]

Queens...you can register for exams and assessments through any BKA exam sec...plenty nice ones around...

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Nellie]

Whistles.

If you run into problems, drop me a line and I'll see what I can do.

 

[Der Alte Fritz]

Just to let everyone know that I have signed up to the BKKA Correspondence Course and will report back on how I get on.

To start with let me explain why I am doing the correspondence course which is because there are not many beekeepers near me, the local association meetings are three quarters of an hours drive away and I have not been able to access their training yet. So I will go through the CC and do the learning and then book up to take the test at County level. This works for me as I can spare one day to take the test but not several to go for training.

Anyway the course pack has arrived by email, 12 papers, each around 6 questions and each paper covering a different aspect of the syllabus. Paper 1 is MANIPULATION OF THE HONEY BEE COLONY and asks how you would take a hive apart and what you are looking for.

So I complete Paper 1 and then email it off to the Tutor who will give me corrections, feedback and further reading to do.

Nothing too stressful so far and probably would not suit people who can go to Association training but for those who cannot a good thing to go through.

PS Can answer Paper 1 without reference to books.

 

[masterBK]

People moaning about the value of the correspondence course probably don't realise that when you enrol you get allocated one of the top beekeepers in the UK as your tutor. These are people who get invited to deliver lectures at all the major beekeeping conferences. They are all masterbeekeepers or NDB's with years of experience and include some well known beekeeping authors. Most of them have set and marked papers for module exams and assessed Basic, general husbandry and advanced husbandry exams.

 

[Der Alte Fritz]

People moaning about the value of the correspondence course probably don't realise that when you enrol you get allocated one of the top beekeepers in the UK as your tutor. These are people who get invited to deliver lectures at all the major beekeeping conferences. They are all masterbeekeepers or NDB's with years of experience and include some well known beekeeping authors. Most of them have set and marked papers for module exams and assessed Basic, general husbandry and advanced husbandry exams.

Absolutely agree. My tutor is Roy Cropley from SE Herts Beekeepers Assocation.
It says on their website
" A very experienced beekeeper, who has worked on bee farms in South America and New Zealand. Has served on our divisional committee for a number of years, as treasurer. He has links to other divisions outside our county."

 

[Robbie & Jans Bees]

Virtual hive

Its a shame no one has come up with this yet them in the dark wintre nights we all could take tests when our girls are in there hamocks for the wintre.

 

[itma]

People moaning about the value of the correspondence course probably don't realise that when you enrol you get allocated one of the top beekeepers in the UK as your tutor. These are people who get invited to deliver lectures at all the major beekeeping conferences. They are all masterbeekeepers or NDB's with years of experience and include some well known beekeeping authors. Most of them have set and marked papers for module exams and assessed Basic, general husbandry and advanced husbandry exams.

Sounds like a slight overkill (overskill?) for teaching 'the basic', doesn't it?

 

[simonrp]

Sounds like a slight overkill (overskill?) for teaching 'the basic', doesn't it?

Not at all.
I would much prefer to have an over qualified tutor any day.

 

[Der Alte Fritz]

Sounds like a slight overkill (overskill?) for teaching 'the basic', doesn't it?

If they are offering and the course allows you to ask questions why not grasp the opportunity!

 

[Der Alte Fritz]

Just had the results back on Paper 1 so we are moving forward at a fair old pace. Have completed Paper 2 so can send that off to be marked and am just starting work on Paper 4.
Paper 1 is pretty straight forward so I do not know how much discussion is going to be need around the answers but we will see as Paper 2 is more involved.