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Certificate II · national qualification

Certificate II in Agriculture

This is a starting point for anyone who wants to work on a farm or station without previous experience, and there are no entry requirements.

Compare 21 providers
How long it takes
1 year
full time at TAFE NSW
What it costs
From $1,120
Subsidised at TAFE NSW, full fee up to $7,500
How you can study
Online, on campus or on the job
Taught by
21 providers
Every state and territory

Is this course right for you?

What the Certificate II in Agriculture asks of you, and what you might want to check first.

It helps to have

  • a willingness to work outdoors in all kinds of weather
  • an interest in animals, crops and the land
  • the ability to follow instructions and stick to routines
  • good communication skills for working alongside others

Before you start

There are no entry requirements for this qualification.

Certificate II or Certificate III?

Certificate III in Agriculture is the higher level. This Certificate II covers routine tasks under supervision where the work is predictable and structured with limited judgement requirements. Certificate III may involve more advanced skills, but the details are not given here.

See the course

Where this course can take you

No job needs this course on its own, but it can help with the work below.

Jobs this course can help with

None of these jobs needs a set qualification.

  • Farm Worker

    Farm workers do the practical work that keeps a cropping or livestock property going, from planting and harvesting to feeding, moving and checking stock.

    Median pay$49,300 (estimate)

    In demand

  • Fruit Picker

    Fruit pickers harvest ripe fruit by hand and get it packed and off to markets, supermarkets and processors before it spoils.

    Median pay$49,900 (estimate)

    In demand

  • Station Hand

    Station hands do the daily physical work of running a livestock property, from mustering and feeding stock to fixing fences and machinery.

    Median pay$49,300 (estimate)

Pay is the median for everyone in the job, and “In demand” means the job is on the national shortage list. Pay marked as an estimate is our own analysis, not a published figure.

What it costs

Subsidised place

From $1,120

at TAFE NSW. Whether you get a subsidised place depends on your state, residency, age and earlier study.

Paying the full fee

$6,939 to $7,500

across the TAFEs listed below. Private providers set their own fees.

  • TAFE NSWNSW

    Subsidised
    $1,120
    Concession
    $160
    Full fee
    $7,500
    How long
    1 year

  • GOTAFEVIC

    Subsidised
    $2,349
    Concession
    $470
    Full fee
    $6,939

Fees as each TAFE shows them on its website, read 20 September 2026. Private providers set their own fees.

Where you can study this course

There are 21 places you can study this course. When you compare them, check they teach it the way you want to study, how far you'd be from a campus, what it will cost you and what past students say about the teaching and support. They're listed by how often people search for them, and none of them pays to be here or to move up.

What you’ll learn

16 units: 4 that everyone takes and 12 you choose.

  • Farm safety and hazard checks
  • Sustainable work practices
  • Working in an agriculture team
  • On-farm communication
  • Following routine work instructions
See all 4 core units

Core units

Everyone completes these. Select a unit to see what it covers.

  • Loading the details for AHCWHS202…

Questions to ask before you enrol

Providers run this course differently, so the answers change from one to the next.

  1. When is the next intake, and how many are there each year?
  2. What is the total cost, including materials, checks and any placement costs?
  3. Can I study part time or online, and how does that change the length?
  4. Do the units count towards a higher qualification if I go on to study further?

Questions people ask

Who is this qualification for?

It is a starting point for anyone who wants to work on a farm or station without previous experience, including school students and people moving into agriculture for the first time. The work is routine and supervised, with predictable and structured tasks. It leads to roles such as assistant farm hand, jackaroo or jillaroo, and farm machinery worker.

Do I need experience or other qualifications first?

There are no entry requirements for this qualification. Individual providers can set their own conditions, so check with the provider you choose.

How is it different from Certificate III in Agriculture?

Certificate III in Agriculture is the higher level. This Certificate II covers routine tasks under supervision where the work is predictable and structured with limited judgement requirements. Certificate III may involve more advanced skills, but the details are not given here.

Related courses

The national training register, training.gov.au. TAFE course pages, read 20 September 2026. Google reviews. Pay and shortage status from Jobs and Skills Australia.