BTEC Agriculture Student Heads off to Writtle University College
Chengelo School is excited to have one of our alumni, Lance Vaughan (Class of 2019), heading off to the UK next month to study Agriculture at Writtle University College, near Chelmsford. Lance has always had a passion for agriculture and studying for a Bachelors in Agriculture will help him pursue his dreams and further his career prospects.
After completing his IGCSEs at Chengelo, Lance spent two years attending the Chengelo School Sixth Form where he was a student on the BTEC Extended Diploma in Agriculture program, which is equivalent to three A-Levels. During this time, he was able to study topics such as crop and livestock husbandry, business management, machinery operations and soil and plant science. As part of the course Lance had to take part in various work placements, with were aimed at broadening and improving his practical agricultural skills.
Lance was a hard-working and dedicated student during his time here and as he reflects on his time studying for his Extended Diploma he said “The BTEC has helped me prepare for university by teaching me to work independently, which is a skill I will definitely need. I also enjoyed the way the course has given me an insight into a bit of everything, such as crops, animals, machinery and even the business side of farming. This has helped me prepare for what I want to do in the future, by seeing which areas I enjoy and those I don’t enjoy as much. It wasn’t just a theoretical course, it was ahands-on one. We did a lot of practical work, which I enjoyed, because I like to get outside of the classroom and I find it helps me learn much better. I also enjoyed not having exams, because the assessment is based on vocational coursework assignments. The good grades I got helped me get into a good university in the UK.”
Since graduating from Chengelo, Lance has been working as a farm manager on a local commercial farm, and this has been great preparation for going off to university. He said “What I have learned on the BTEC is to understand why things happen on the farm. For example, if I see a problem with the crop, I know that it could be a problem with nutrition or disease. Also, in the office, I now understand the financial side of farming, such as crop costings and wages.”
The course aims to give a well-rounded overview of agriculture and Lance has found that his knowledge of animal husbandry has increased, which is an area he had little experience in before, having grown up on a farm producing crops only.
After completing his degree in the UK, Lance hopes to gain more experience in farming and eventually end up back here in Zambia. He wants to make the most of opportunities in the UK and learn as much as possible.
Lance and many others see great potential for agriculture in Zambia and this was a key reason for Chengelo School launching the BTEC Extended Diploma in Agriculture back in 2017. This program is equivalent to studying three A-Levels and provides a route into an agriculture-related program at many universities around the world, or alternatively straight into a job in the agriculture industry.
We wish Lance God’s blessings as he moves into this exciting new phase of his life!
For more information on the BTEC Extended Diploma in Agriculture at Chengelo School visit www.chengeloschool.org/academics/sixth-form/sixth-form-courses-offered/ or email sixthformhead@chengeloschool.org.
