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CTCCareer Technical Centre
Agriculture & Farming

Livestock Husbandry

Practical animal husbandry for poultry, small ruminants and pigs. You will handle stock daily, learn to spot a sick animal early, and understand the feeding, housing and record-keeping that keep a herd or flock productive.

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Duration
12 or 24 weeks
Delivery
In-person training
Format
Training and workshop style
Study load
20 hours per week
Class size
14 learners maximum
Award
CTC Certificate of Completion
Visa route
Visitor Visa
Campus
Nanaimo, British Columbia

What you will be able to do

By the end of the twelve weeks you will have demonstrated each of these practically, under supervision, in our workshops.

  • Handle livestock and poultry safely and calmly
  • Recognise early signs of ill health and escalate appropriately
  • Manage feed, water and housing to welfare standards
  • Keep accurate stock and treatment records

Course structure

Twelve weeks, running Monday to Friday at 20 hours per week. Roughly seventy percent of contact time is practical work.

  1. 1Week 1–2 — Animal welfare, safe handling and biosecurity
  2. 2Week 3–4 — Housing, bedding, ventilation and stocking density
  3. 3Week 5–6 — Feed, nutrition, water systems and daily routines
  4. 4Week 7–8 — Poultry management: layers, broilers and egg handling
  5. 5Week 9–10 — Small ruminants and pigs: routine care and common ailments
  6. 6Week 11–12 — Breeding basics, record keeping and a stock management plan

Where it can lead

This is entry-level vocational training. It is designed to make you employable in supporting and assistant roles, and to give you a credible starting point for an apprenticeship or further certification.

Livestock farm workerPoultry unit assistantHerdsperson traineeFarm hand

Entry requirements

  • Minimum age 18 at the start of the intake
  • Secondary school certificate or equivalent work experience
  • Conversational English (CLB 4 / IELTS 4.5 equivalent) — no test certificate required
  • A valid passport with at least 6 months validity beyond the intake end date
  • Comfortable working closely with live animals

No documents are required to apply. We may ask to see your passport and qualification certificates during enrolment, after your place is confirmed.

Choose how long you stay

This course is taught over twelve weeks. You can finish there, or continue into a twelve-week placement with a local company — working on real jobs alongside their staff — and leave with hands-on experience and an employer reference as well as your certificate.

12 weeks

CAD 2,835

The taught program on its own

  • 12 weeks of in-person workshop training
  • CTC Certificate of Completion
  • Under six months, so a visitor visa is sufficient

Admission, course and accommodation fees combined.

Apply for 12 weeks
Includes work placement

24 weeks

CAD 3,485

The same training, plus 12 weeks inside a real company

  • Everything in the 12-week route
  • A further 12 weeks placed inside a host company
  • Hands-on work on real jobs, supervised and assessed
  • An employer reference alongside your certificate
  • Still under six months in total, so a visitor visa still applies

Total includes the CAD 650 company placement fee.

Apply for 24 weeks

How to apply

The full process takes around ten weeks from application to arrival. Here are the first four steps.

  1. 1

    Submit application

    You

    Complete the online application form with your personal details, qualification, and the subject area and course you would like to study. No documents need to be uploaded.

    15 minutes

  2. 2

    Application review

    CTC

    The CTC admissions team reviews your application against the entry requirements for your chosen course and confirms seat availability for your intended intake.

    3–5 working days

  3. 3

    Receive invitation letter

    CTC

    Successful applicants receive an official invitation letter by email, confirming the course, intake dates, delivery mode and fees. This letter supports your visitor visa application.

    Within 2 working days of a decision

  4. 4

    Pay CAD 150 admission fee

    You

    Pay the one-off admission fee to confirm your place. Your seat is held for the intake named on your invitation letter.

    Within 14 days of the invitation letter

See all 9 steps

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Ready to start Livestock Husbandry?

Twelve weeks, in person, on the tools. Submit your application in about fifteen minutes — no documents to upload.

Start your applicationBrowse programs

12 weeks · In-person training · Study permit not required — attend on a visitor visa