Five years on, our Livestock Technology Centre has surpassed its target outcomes and its success continues to grow.
We are delighted to announce that since its opening in 2019, the Livestock Technology Centre at Common Leys Farm has proved a great success, making a significant impact to agritech skills development in Oxfordshire. Over the past five years, the Centre has helped over 800 students gain vital experience and qualifications in agriculture, and addressing the local agritech skills shortage.
According to the latest Local Growth Fund Evaluation Report, the Centre has exceeded expectations in multiple areas. Achievement rates within Land-Based Industries for the 2022/23 academic year reached an impressive 92%, well above the national average of 84%. This figure is expected to rise to 95% in the 2023/24 academic year.
The growing success of the Centre has also resulted in job creation, with 3.6 new jobs generated, exceeding the original target of 2.5. Congratulations to all those who have contributed to this impressive achievement, setting new standards for excellence in agricultural education, and providing students with an innovative technology-driven learning experience.
Feedback from a curriculum and quality peer review led by LANDEX has been very positive:
"The college is active with employer engagement … employers explained the relationship with the college and their influence on the co-design and co-deliver of curriculum, as well as how they safeguard students and the training received from the college to understand how to cater for their needs.”
The Livestock Technology Centre, funded by the Government’s Local Growth Fund, secured by the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (OxLEP), includes advanced facilities such as an indoor riding school, practical spaces, and bio-security areas. It integrates the use of cutting-edge technology into the curriculum, offering students hands-on experience with tools like the NEDAP Pig Performance Testing station and Shearwell Data for sheep stock analysis.
To read the full report, click here.
If you would like to find out more about the Agriculture and Animal Care courses offered at Common Leys Farm, please click the links below.
