Mentor programme
Gyula Gluzek Agribusiness Mentoring Programme
I. In memory of Gyula Gluzek
The Mentor Programme bears the name of Gyula Gluzek (Lovrin, 1847 – Budapest, 23 April 1894), farmer and cattle manager. As cattle manager from 1876 to 1892, he developed the Stud Farm into one of the largest and most modern large-scale inland agricultural enterprises in Europe, recognising the importance of local seed production.
Gluzek created the conditions for sugar beet production and introduced the use of manure in the stables. He bought steam engines – with ploughs and threshing machines – and not only repaired but also built steam engines in the steam plough workshop in the machine shop. He increased the number of cattle and milk production. The increase in milk production and herd size not only supplied Mezőhegyes with milk, but also a significant amount of milk was supplied to the Arad market. Every year 350-400 breeding bulls were sold, mainly for public breeding. They bred domestic buffalo, and from 1881 Hungarian grey, then Simental and Hungarian mottled cattle. In 1879, Gluzek purchased Kushland bulls, and two years later, as the first state import, Simental breeding bulls for breeding. Later, this cowshed became the most valuable pedigree herd in the country in terms of performance and genetics. In 1881, Gluzek founded the equally famous Merino breeding farm on the stud farm, which produced world record wool yields. The large body, excellent wool yield combined with the fineness of the wool. In 1896, the sheep flock in Mezőhegyes consisted of 232 rams, 2965 ewes, 1525 ewes and 1236 suckling lambs. In the same year a horse breeding farm was established (previously the stud farm had been given empty mares for use), which soon caught up and merged with the stud farm for breeding Nonius. Mules were also kept for breeding. Pig breeding started in 1865 with blond condor-haired Mangalica. In 1896, the herd numbered 651 old boars and sows, 1201 old sows and sows, 1515 ewes and 2746 suckling piglets. Gluzek had the carcasses replaced by a ‘digestor’, an agricultural industrial facility in which, after disinfection by hot steam, the animal carcasses were processed into soap, meat meal and other useful materials. Deer and pheasants were stocked to boost hunting, which brought in substantial income. The huge income from the production of goods and the sale of livestock contributed greatly to the subsequent development of the estate.
Gyula Gluzek made many contributions to the modernisation of the economy, and it was under his leadership that the industrial revolution was completed in Mezőhegyes. In 1884, the obsolete dry mills were replaced by the steam mill that bears his name today, the baking house, and in 1888 the six-storey elevator mill – which could hold 300 wagons of wheat – and the water tower tank house were built. The steam mill was built exclusively to produce the flour and semolina needed for the stud farm. Its annual output was 20 000 m³ of grinding and the same amount of milling. The area under cultivation was increased, pastures were broken up, boreholes were drilled to overcome water shortages and a pump was used to pump the water out. The increased emphasis on arable farming began with the reorganisation of the Stud Farm after the Reconciliation. By the end of the 19th century, more than 70% of the estate was under arable cultivation. In terms of the structure of crop production, cereals and grain crops accounted for almost 45%, catch and industrial crops for 30% and fodder crops for about 25%. The increase in yields was due to the spread of industrial crops and the more careful cultivation of the soil associated with their cultivation, as well as to the regular application of manure to livestock sheds and the more systematic use of fertilisers from the last decade of the century. The development of livestock farming has had a major impact not only on the production of fodder crops but also on the management of meadows and pastures. Nearly 500 acres of meadowland were converted to flood irrigation. At the turn of the century, 13 pressure rotations were in use in Mezőhegyes. The areas taken out of rotation were used as meadows for 3-5 years. The estate was surrounded by a fence along the granic, which was 70 kilometres long. Along the fence, so-called granichas were built every 3-4 kilometres along the exit roads, 33 in all. Barriers were placed at the houses along the roads. The fence was intended to protect the estate from strays and wild animals, from the introduction of disease and from thieves.
Between 1882 and 1883 Mezőhegyes was connected to the railway network of Hungary in three directions. The broad-gauge railway was built from Mezőhegyes to Arad, then to Makó, Kétegyháza, Orosháza and then to Szarvas. The current director of Mezőhegyes became a board member of the Arad and Csanádi United Railways (ACsEV). The famous indo house was built in 1883 – in 2009 the reception building of the railway station at the main entrance of the Szentendre Skanzen, a multi-storey building, was modelled on this building. In 1891, the railway restaurant was completed to serve the travelling public.
In 1883, the need to transport large quantities of goods gave rise to the 760 mm gauge AEGV (Alföld First Economic Railway). Alongside the 33.5 km of permanent way, so-called ‘flying tracks’ enabled various crops to be transported directly from the fields. Special attention was paid to the communication system of the stud farm. In 1881, a private telephone network, a ‘house telephone’, was set up within the estate, and in 1884 Mezőhegyes was connected to the telephone network of Csanád and Arad counties, and in 1887 to the telegraph network.
In 1885, temporary workers (summers, skilled workers) arrived in Mezőhegyes for the first time. Many farm workers and servants were employed on the large estate. Strictly speaking, the servants were engaged to do domestic or farm work for a period of at least a month, or even half or a year, depending on the nature of the work. Examples of such servants were the gleaner and shepherd, the old man’s wainwright, the pedant, the yoke driver and the wagon driver.
From 1883 to 1885, a total of seven distilleries were established, processing 1,800 acres of sugar beet grown for this purpose. The increasing sugar production gave the idea to build the sugar factory, but the deep boreholes and artesian wells did not provide enough water. After much deliberation, water was brought to Mezőhegyes from the Maros near Arad, in an artificial canal dug by hand. The canal started from the Maros at Arad and flowed back through Mezőhegyes to Nagylak. In just six months, built by hand by cubic men, 23 km of the 92 km long canal fell on Mezőhegyes. Following the construction of the Living Water Canal, the water shortage was eliminated and the factory could start operations on 1 November 1889.
Gluzek’s social measures are also unique. He set up a bakery and a butcher’s shop to supply the population of Mezőhegyes. He provided free medical and hospital care for the workers of the Stud Farm, and in 1888 he insured the estate’s employees for five years with a Viennese company. In 1887, he set up a kindergarten and began to eliminate inhuman housing conditions. Elementary schools were established, and in 1911 the municipality set up the Lower Industrial Apprenticeship School. The predecessor of the present school of the Ménesbirtok, it was in this school that vocational training began to meet the needs of the time. Gluzek made the school and textbook supply free.
The Stud Farm signed a contract with the Szegedi Kenderfonó Rt. in 1893 for the establishment of a hemp factory. The Stud Farm undertook the construction of the soaking basins, the water supply and drainage and the construction of the workers’ housing. In return, the Hemp Spinning Co. built and equipped the factory, which processed 65-70 thousand q of hemp per year. In the Swallow district, a brick factory with a circular kiln was operating to serve the large construction works, producing about one and a half million bricks a year. A monument was erected to commemorate the millennium (the millennium of the conquest of the country, 1896). On 1 September 1909, the Reformed Church was consecrated and the park around the Roman Catholic Church was built – it was named Podmaniczky Grove after the then commander of the carpenter’s yard. The following year, a beach was built on the lake near the sugar factory and construction of the new slaughterhouse began. In the summer of 1912, the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy’s army held its annual major military exercise in Mezőhegyes.
The development brought with it an increase in the population. To accommodate the increased population, terraced houses were built to meet the needs of the time, while comfortable servants’ quarters were built for senior officials, and public institutions were built to meet their cultural needs. In 1885, the Central Hotel was completed – it housed the “Officers’ Casino”, a café and a restaurant. In 1894, the “Nőtlen tiszti lak” (a local joke called “Kan-tár”) was completed, along what later became Kozma Ferenc Street, the public schools were built, and in 1887 the first kindergarten was opened. Further water wells were drilled and a water tower was built. Between 1890 and 1894, a ninth was added to the eight districts of the estate, bringing the total number of farms to 90.
Gyula Gluzek “planned, thought and organised in a global economic perspective”, wrote his biographer Andor Fáy.
This is how József Ernst sums up the work of one of the most outstanding agriculturalists of the post-reunification era:
“from a well-established but under-utilised estate, he created in this short period of time one of the most modern large farms and model villages in Europe, and founded it in such a way that its facilities – reminiscent of the Utopians’ ideas – elevated Mezőhegyes for half a century to the rank of Europe’s most modern large agricultural enterprises, which became known worldwide for its gene bank, which was ahead of its time, and at the same time for its exemplary production and processing of goods. Gyula Gluzek was an educated, multilingual, well-mannered, pleasant socialite who enjoyed undivided popularity. He set his goals after careful consideration and carried them out with the greatest consistency, and he selected his staff with a brilliant knowledge of human nature.”
His work was recognised by the award of the Cross of Merit in 1885.
Unfortunately, his last project, the establishment of an agricultural experimental institute and college, could not be realised. By the end of 1892, the strain of his work had undermined his health, his nervous system collapsed, and he went on permanent leave for medical treatment. He could not return to Mezőhegyes: after suffering for more than a year in a sanatorium in Buda, he died on 23 April 1894.
The National Stud and Educational Farm wishes to honour his memory by naming its mentoring programme after him, thus setting a worthy role model for future farmers.
II. Entry to the mentoring programme
II. 1. 1. The application
Students of the Mezőhegyes Technical School, Vocational School and Dormitory who are students in youth training can enter the Gluzek Gyula Agricultural Industry Mentor Programme by applying. The application should include a motivation letter and a short CV, which should give an insight into the applicant’s future plans for a career in agriculture; and a recommendation from the student’s class teacher and a tutor. The application must indicate a field of specialisation in the mentoring programme (see Chapter III) and include a declaration of acceptance of the mentoring programme’s rules and conditions of training. The class teachers will help you prepare your application and fill in the forms.
II. 1. 2. Conditions for a successful application
(a) The applicant has passed the basic sectoral examination measuring the basic professional knowledge and competences required to work in the agriculture and forestry sector with a pass mark (above 4,5 grade point average).
After completing the basic sectoral education, the pupil can take the basic sectoral examination at the end of the 10th grade in a technical school and the 9th grade in a vocational school.
Compared to the other training areas, there is an earlier entry point into the equestrian programme, with more time devoted to the preparation of young riders – see III.2.5.
b) In technical vocational education, the applicant has fulfilled the academic requirements in grades 9 and 10 with a grade point average above 4.50.
c) In vocational education at a vocational school, the applicant has fulfilled the study requirements in grade 9 with a grade point average of 4.00 or above.
d) The applicant must have no unexcused absences.
e) The applicant must be a student of exemplary diligence and conduct, who is actively involved in school community life and in the organisation and implementation of extra-curricular activities.
f) The applicant, who is enrolled in vocational education at a vocational training school, has a vocational training employment contract with the National Stud and Educational Farm and meets the health and fitness requirements for the profession.
They will be given preference in the assessment of the application:
knowledge of languages (language examination);
a sense of vocation and commitment to the profession;
and a career commitment to the National Stud and Educational Farm
II.1.3. Participation of the Agricultural Training Centre of the Great Plain in the mentoring programme
The mentoring programme is open to students of the vocational training institutions of the Agricultural Training Centre of Alföld in accordance with the cooperation agreement. Two students per school per academic year may apply, the conditions of application are the same as those set out in II.1.1. and II.1.2:
the applicant must be a student of one of the vocational training institutions of the Centre for Agricultural Vocational Training in the Lowlands (II.1.1);
The assistant director of the Mezőhegyes Technical, Vocational School and Dormitory will assist you in preparing your application and filling in the forms (II.1.1.);
the applicant has a vocational training contract with any dual training establishment or sectoral training centre (II. 1. 2. f)).
II.1.4. Deadline for submission of applications, correction of incomplete applications, evaluation
The deadline for submission of applications is 30 September of the academic year in question. Applications will be accepted by post and electronically by the Mezőhegyes Technical, Vocational School and Dormitory. You can find our contact details in the ‘CONTACT’ section of the website. Applications should be addressed to the director of the vocational training institution. The closing date for submitting any incomplete applications is 15 October. Applications will be assessed and evaluated by a committee consisting of the management of the National Stud Farm and Tang Farm Ltd and members of the school management. Applicants will be informed of the results by 31 October, after which they will have three working days to sign the mentoring contract.
The deadlines for the 2023/2024 academic year for students at the vocational training institutions of the Centre for Agricultural Vocational Training in the Great Plain are as follows:
deadline for submission of applications: 05 January 2024.
deadline for submissions: 15 January 2024
formal notification of the results of applications: 22 January 2024.
signature of grant contracts for mentoring: 30-31 January 2024.
III. Aims and areas of specialisation of the Gluzek Gyula Agricultural Mentor Programme
III.1. Aim of the mentoring programme
The Gyula Gluzek Agro-Industry Mentor Programme provides mentored students with the opportunity to acquire in-depth professional knowledge in real-life on-farm conditions. Members of the management and top professionals of the National Stud and Educational Farm share their knowledge and experience with the children. By using the modern technology available on the model farm, we want to put expertise at the forefront so that vocational training in Mezőhegyes provides the right answers to the ever-changing and renewing challenges of the economy and the labour market.
Within the mentoring programme, children will receive targeted training in the practical application of innovative production methods and solutions and modern technologies of the Mezőhegyes state model farm. In addition to training future agricultural professionals, we aim to ensure a highly qualified workforce for the National Stud and Educational Farm. Upon completion of the programme, the Company will offer the most outstanding mentored students a job in their field of specialisation, a competitive salary – with a technician qualification at middle management level – and/or a study contract to support them in their higher education.
III.2. Areas of specialisation of the mentoring programme
III. 2. 1. Precision farming, digitalisation of agriculture
The technical and vocational school students enrolled in the precision farming specialisation of the mentoring programme will have daily contact with the latest achievements in the field of agricultural digitisation in the following areas:
learning about the data structure of precision farming;
the production and management of map files of site-specific input use;
learning about digital systems for the most common types of tractors;
Practical application of automated tractor operations (robotic steering, end-of-trailer turning, machine synchronisation);
use of monitoring and application drones;
processing satellite and drone images;
technical background and application of precision irrigation in everyday life;
yield mapping harvesting and evaluation of yield data;
mentored students will gain insight into the day-to-day operation of business management software.
Maximum number of new mentored trainees: 3 per year
You can apply for:
TECHNIKUM:
Sector: ENGINEERING AND ENGINEERING
Professions: Agricultural Machinery Technician (508101708);
Agricultural Technician, FARM TECHNICIAN (508111709)
Training period: 3 years
VOCATIONAL SCHOOL:
Sector: AGRICULTURE AND AGRICULTURE
Professions: Grocer, VET SCHOOL (408111704);
Agricultural Mechanic (408101707)
Training period: 2 years
Mentor: Krisztián Bónus, commodity and precision farming team leader
III. 2. 2. Arable irrigation
The National Stud and Educational Farm has 8,300 hectares of contiguous arable land, on 2,500 hectares of which it is engaged in the production of maize seed, the top agricultural crop. This activity is threatened by the increasing frequency and extremes of weather conditions and climate change, which is why variety owners only contract with producers who can irrigate the area with the right quality and quantity of water.
The Stud Farm can currently irrigate between 2,600 and 2,800 hectares of land at the same time, which is the largest contiguous irrigated area in Hungary. In an irrigation season, which lasts on average from April to August, it purchases 6-7,000,000 m3 of irrigation water, which is delivered to the area from the River Maros. This amount would cover the bi-weekly water consumption of the population of Hungary. The Maros would have to be diverted for 11 hours and the Tisza for 2 hours to Mezőhegyes to meet this water demand.
Currently, the farm has 35 self-propelled irrigation systems, which will be replaced by 81 new systems by the end of 2022 as part of the national irrigation model programme. The new system is expected to bring technical safety, greater efficiency and improved water use.
The new equipment will be state-of-the-art:
remote-controlled, controllable via a mobile app;
Variable Rate Irrigation;
Variable Rate Irrigation with Variable Rate Irrigation (Variable Rate Irrigation);
5,100,000 hectares of irrigation, with a radio station with its own frequency for control
higher output, 8 mm/day irrigation standard.
Due to limited water resources, the construction of a dedicated predictive irrigation forecasting system is underway and is expected to be completed by 2023. The system will be able to provide a 2-4 day advance recommendation or even an artificial intelligence level decision on the need for irrigation.
To make this decision, the following factors will need to be known and coordinated:
soil conditions, soil moisture;
plant needs, phenological phases;
weather data;
weather forecasts;
RGB, NDVI, thermal drone or satellite imagery;
water requirements;
water availability;
knowledge of other agro-technical operations.
In the fields of the National Stud and Educational Farm, a 21st century technological development has begun, so that in Mezőhegyes not only the largest but also the most modern irrigation system is being built. Such a large-scale irrigation investment has never been seen in Hungary in the last 30 years, perhaps never before. Under the Gyula Gluzek Agro-Industry Mentoring Programme, mentored students will learn complex agro-informatics skills related to field irrigation, the operation of new state-of-the-art equipment and will also be involved in research and development.
Maximum number of new mentored students entering: 3 per school year
You can apply for:
TECHNIKUM:
Field: ENGINEERING AND ENGINEERING
Vocational: Agricultural Technician, Vocational Training in Agriculture (508111709);
Agricultural Mechanical Technician (508101708)
Training period: 3 years
VOCATIONAL SCHOOL:
Sector: AGRICULTURE AND AGRICULTURE
Occupations: Agricultural machinery and equipment (408111704);
Agricultural Mechanic (408101707)
Training period: 2 years
Mentor: Norbert Szlovák Irrigation and Operations Team Leader
III. 2. 3. Seed technology
Seed production is the pinnacle of agricultural production. Until the late 2000s, Hungary was among the top 5 countries in seed production. Nowadays, a number of countries are gaining strength, but Hungarian seed is still world famous, Hungarian seed is exported to all countries in Europe, but also to other continents, such as Asia.
Hungary has a great tradition of seed production (first hybrid maize planting, a series of seed farms established since the 1960s) and the associated research and monitoring system.
Mezőhegyes is also considered to be a traditional seed producer, not only because of its natural resources, but also because of its multifunctional seed factory built in the 1970s. Where all these factors come together, expertise is needed. Seed production is typically not a profession that can be learned in the classroom. There are machines, technologies, (Cimbria Heid) people and living, breathing seeds to work with.
Today, a world-class processing line is about to be activated at the Mezőhegyes seed factory, thanks to investments by the National Stud and Educational Farm With further new, innovative investments, we are building a highly modern seed plant that needs a young, dynamic workforce open to advanced technologies. The plant will have a capacity of 8-9,000 tonnes for maize processing and 6-7,000 tonnes for maize seed. The new investments will double capacity and processing possibilities, and improve working conditions.
The thematic training of the Gyula Gluzek Agro-Industry Mentor Programme covers complex theoretical knowledge and practical skills related to the mechanisation of the seed processing plant of the National Stud and Educational Farm
feeding of raw materials, operation of automated receivers, feeders and
ensuring genetic purity;
drying technologies: tube and grain drying;
materials management, barcode unique identification, gentle handling (separators, conveyor systems, electric forklifts);
analysis of Hungarian and international standard systems;
processing of different species: pre-cleaning, seed grading – Cimbria on roasting machines
separation by weight – on a gravity table;
Seed treatment (chemical) procedures – incrustation, threshing, pelleting;
colour grading;
automatic, semi-automatic and manual bagging and packaging systems;
physiological seed testing under laboratory conditions, official metal storage.
Maximum number of new entrant mentored students: 3 students per year
To apply:
TECHNIKUM:
Sector: ENGINEERING AND ENGINEERING
TRADE: Agricultural technician, NATIONAL TRAINING CENTRE (508111709);
Agricultural Mechanical Technician (508101708)
Training period: 3 years
VOCATIONAL SCHOOL:
Sector: AGRICULTURE AND AGRICULTURE
Occupation: Farming, AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING (408111704)
Training period: 2 years
Mentor: Sándor Egető, Director of Seed Business
Mentor: Egető Sándor vetőmagüzemi igazgató
III. 2. 4. Cattle technology - automated barn, robotic milking
The National Stud and Educational Farm has a cattle herd of 2,200 animals, with 1,200 young stock and 1,000 productive stock. The animals are kept on two farms. Of these, the productive herd and part of the growing herd are located in the renovated cowshed at Major 11, where we aim to meet all the animals’ needs. The modernisation of heifer farm 81 Major will also start in 2022.
The production animals will be housed in two 440-capacity, eight double stall, robot milking barns, unique in Europe and designed to meet all needs. With the innovations and improvements introduced here, it is the largest in size and the most modern of its kind. In addition to this, the growing sheds, farrowing shed and service facilities have also been upgraded.
The production stables have been equipped with the most modern barn and animal welfare technologies of the present day, such as:
unique identification, GPS tracking;
UNITRACK health and activity monitoring;
individual feeding in the robot boxes;
air-conditioned cubicle stalls with “water beds”;
robotic feed loading;
automatic manure removal.
In the Gyula Gluzek Agro Industry Mentoring Programme, students will learn about the operation and management of a 21st century livestock farm. New, modern technology, improved housing conditions and robotic milking systems help to ensure precise and accurate work, but also demand new standards and quality of work from the people who work here. Apprentices entering the mentoring programme are expected to have basic computer skills, good and fast problem-solving abilities, a high degree of accuracy and precision, and conscientious work ethic.
Maximum number of new mentored students entering: 3 per school year
You can apply for:
TECHNIKUM:
Sector: ENGINEERING AND ENGINEERING
Profession: Agricultural technician, ANIMAL HUMAN HEALTH SPECIALTY (508111709)
Training period: 3 years
VOCATIONAL SCHOOL:
Sector: AGRICULTURE AND AGRICULTURE
Profession: Animal Husbandry, ANIMAL Husbandry (408111704)
Training period: 2 years
Mentor: Tibor Czakó cattle farm manager
III. 2. 5. Equestrian sports and management 03_horsesport-icon
In the field of horse breeding, two different themes are offered in the mentoring programme, depending on whether the mentoring is primarily in the field of sport or management.
Entry into the equestrian mentoring programme can take place in grade 9 or the first month of grade 10, during which time successful applicants will be required to complete a practical level assessment to meet the application requirements. Entry is earlier than in other training areas, with more time devoted to preparing youth riders in youth competition events. Within the sport programme, dressage, dressage and eventing may be designated as disciplines and a level assessment will be carried out accordingly. The most talented riders and riders will be admitted to the programme, with a maximum of 2 riders per discipline. For these riders, there will be higher level small group training sessions during practice and additional training per discipline in afternoon sessions on other days of the week. Mentored students can also participate in training sessions with internationally renowned coaches in the horse breeding sector (Viktória Nébel, Sándor Fülöp, Attila Szász). In all three disciplines, we offer preparation for the driving licence examination and then offer the opportunity to compete in show jumping and dressage with the stud farm’s horses, the costs of which are covered by the stud farm as part of the mentoring programme. Participation also includes several days of weekend-long competitions as a groom, where the mentored horses can learn the skills of the “show groom” profession at a professional level.
Areas of competence:
horse care in everyday life, competitions, shows, professional “show grooming” tasks;
more specific types of equipment, settings, applications;
training plan, structure of horse training;
types of halter work;
training in the designated discipline under supervision in all cases (a student participating in the mentoring programme may ride not only a horse that has passed an aptitude test (school horse) but also a qualified horse that has already competed);
participation in one-day and multi-day competitions in the designated discipline as a horse nurse;
riding school horses in competitions in saddle sports.
The equine management mentoring programme is open to people who are not interested in horses as sportsmen and women, but who wish to acquire knowledge in horse breeding, equestrian sports organisation and management. The programme is open to three people at a time, who will rotate through the three horse breeding farms (centre, stud 20, stud 39) to acquire the knowledge necessary for the day-to-day running of the farms, and thus learn about the different breeds, vintages, husbandry techniques and management of reproductive biology. The mentored students will also be involved in the preparation and management of the stud farm’s equestrian events, and will therefore be expected to contribute on weekends.
Areas of competence:
husbandry technology;
animal husbandry;
breeding biology management;
breed knowledge; breeding programmes;
training management;
event management.
During the mentoring programme, you will have the opportunity to participate in national and international study trips, competitions and professional conferences. For the most skilful and hard-working mentored students, the horse breeding industry offers job opportunities after graduation.
Maximum number of new mentored students entering: 6 per year (2 per discipline – equestrian sport); 3 per year (equine management)
You can apply for:
TECHNIKUM:
Sector: MACHINERY AND TECHNOLOGY
PROFESSION: Agricultural technician, ANIMAL HUMAN HEALTH SPECIALTY (508111709)
Training period: 3 years
VOCATIONAL SCHOOL:
Sector: AGRICULTURE AND AGRICULTURE
PROFESSION: Animal Husbandry, HORSE HIRING (408111704)
Training period: 3 or 2 years
Mentor: Krisztina Fekete, Associate Director of Horse Breeding
III. 2. 6. Forestry and wildlife management
The National Stud and Educational Farm has about 1500 ha of forest land under its own management and about 15.000 ha of hunting land. Our forest stock consists of oak, acacia and poplar forests typical of the region. Wildlife: we have a large population of fallow deer and roe deer, wild pheasants and hares. Close cooperation has been established with the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences in Gödöllő, and we plan to carry out a number of studies and research in the area in the future.
The tasks of the mentored students:
Participate in current, daily forestry activities:
woodworking,
production control,
timber stock assessment,
taking over contractor’s work;
participate in current hunting activities:
survey and estimation of game stock;
participating in hunting operations;
trophy preparation;
active participation in the daily work of professional hunters;
according to their level of knowledge, mentored students can participate in ongoing research.
Maximum number of new mentored students: 1 per school year
You can apply for:
TECHNIKUM:
Field: ENGINEERING AND ENGINEERING
PROFESSION: Forestry technician, FORESTRY OR FORESTRY TECHNICIAN (508211702)
Training period: 3 years
VOCATIONAL SCHOOL:
Field: FORESTRY
Occupation: Silvicultural logger (408211701)
Training period: 2 years
Mentor: Zoltán Kiss, forestry team leader
III.2.7 Modern piggery technology - management of hyper-acidic genetics
We are training the expert of the future, the world of smart farms in animal husbandry has begun!
FirstFarms Hungary Kft. was founded in 2002 by a group of Danish investors – world-renowned in pig farming – with the help of an innovative Hungarian team, and in 2017 it was merged into FirstFarms, Europe’s only agricultural group listed on the Copenhagen Stock Exchange. FirstFarms currently operates in 4 countries, with 5 subsidiaries and 16 sites. With 21,000 hectares of land, 3,000 dairy cattle, 4,800 sows, 165,000 piglets and 100,000 fattening pigs, FirstFarms has a diverse range of production. The pig sector is a key part of the group’s operations, with state-of-the-art technology and world-class know-how. Currently, FirstFarms Hungary Ltd. operates from two sites. In Gádoros, production is based on the fattening of 2,500 sows, and piglets weighing around 7 kg are reared in a piglet rearing unit in Orosháza until they reach 30 kg, from where they are sold to domestic fattening farms.
More information:
www.firstfarms.com
https://www.facebook.com/FirstFarms
The mentoring programme will provide technical and vocational school students in the field of animal breeding, including hyper-acidic pig genetics and management, with the following competitive knowledge and practice:
use of pig farm software;
pig genetics basics;
preventive management to prevent antibiotic and drug treatment;
practical solutions and responses to EU challenges related to animal health and welfare;
high reproductive number management;
housing design – microclimate in livestock housing;
sow condition assessment and conclusions, research opportunities;
basics of breeding and laboratory work.
What we offer:
opportunity to study abroad with a mentor;
opportunity to participate in professional conferences;
scholarship and research project opportunities in case of higher education with study contract.
Application requirements:
strict compliance with disease control conditions during the mentoring programme,
a pig-free home environment.
Successful applicants for the mentoring programme will be awarded an individual mentoring contract by FirstFarms Hungary Kft.
Maximum number of new mentored students entering the programme: 1 student per school year
You can apply for:
TECHNIKUM:
PROFESSION: Agricultural technician, ANIMAL HUMAN HEALTH (508111709)
Training period: 3 years
VOCATIONAL SCHOOL:
Sector: AGRICULTURE
Profession: Animal Husbandry, ANIMAL Husbandry (408111704)
Training period: 3 or 2 years
Mentor: Viktor Gecző, Production Manager, FirstFarms Hungary Kft.
IV. The mentoring grant contract and the sessions within the mentoring programme
The National Stud and Educational Farm will conclude a mentoring grant contract with the students who successfully apply for the Gyula Gluzek Agricultural Mentoring Programme (hereinafter referred to as the “Contract” – see II.1.4).
The Contract shall include:
the commitments of the mentored person and the Company;
the rights and obligations of the mentored student;
the benefits to which the mentored student is entitled and the amount thereof;
the rules governing the termination and amendment of the contract;
the individualised curriculum (time, content, schedule, mentoring timetable);
and other specific agreements between the parties.
The sessions within the mentoring programme are, without exception, extra-curricular sessions which do not affect either the school-based or the dual training place. Exceptions may be made for pupils of the Mezőhegyes Technical and Vocational School and Dormitory on a case-by-case basis, as laid down in the contract. In exceptional and justified cases, mentoring may also take place within the framework of practical sessions in the dual training centre. The number of hours of such sessions may not exceed one third (80 hours) of the minimum number of sessions to be completed in the mentoring programme. The professional content and content elements of the fields of study included in the training programme of the dual training centre may be expanded or supplemented during the mentoring period, but may not be compromised.
The organisation of the sessions and the timetable must take into account the timetable of the mentored student, the timetable of the vocational training provided by the dual training centre, including the related work placement (summer placement). The organisation of the sessions must take into account whether the mentored student is a resident of Mezőhegyes, a traveller or a student at a college. The vocational training institution and the National Stud and Educational Farm. will ensure the transport of the apprentices to the locations corresponding to the areas of specialisation with their own vehicles. The travel costs of students coming to the programme from schools of the Agricultural Vocational Training Centre of the Great Plain are reimbursed, and dormitory accommodation is provided for them (also on weekends). The scheduling of agricultural work, the organisation of laboratory work, professional events, exhibitions and competitions sometimes also means weekend activities for the mentored students.
The Gyula Gluzek Agribusiness Mentoring Programme is characterised by the effectiveness of its methodology in time and in the acquisition of knowledge. Participants in the programme must complete a minimum of 240 hours per academic year (simplified example: 2 X 3 hours per week for 40 weeks). The timetable is set out in the mentoring timetable attached to the contract, which is tailored to the needs of the mentored student and the mentor of the chosen field of training (individualised timetable).
The Gluzek Gyula Agro-Industrial Mentoring Programme is primarily based on practice-oriented sessions, but as with all innovative forms of mentoring, it also has theoretical components. In addition to the sessions held within the programme, mentored students are required to prepare at home from the thematic vocational theoretical training materials provided. The mentored student’s time spent in the home doing theoretical preparation, independent study or project work may be counted for up to 20% of the 240 hours of compulsory training (48 hours).
The registration of the sessions and the sharing of the theoretical material, as well as part of the assessment, are carried out via the electronic interface set up for this purpose. The curricula, the recorded professional content and the administration of the sessions are regularly monitored by the school’s deputy professional director.
V. Assessment and benefits, exclusion
V. 1. Assessment and allowances
Our aim is to enable mentored students to learn at their own pace and to learn what they really need. Each month, the mentor will provide a written evaluation of the mentored student’s activities and progress. The mentor regularly reviews the theoretical training and provides ongoing one-to-one consultations.
Assessment and grading is based on a four-point scale. Mentored students performing at the first, highest level (“gold level”) receive a monthly net allowance of 100.000 HUF, students performing at the second level (“silver level”) receive a monthly net allowance of 50.000 HUF, and students performing at the third level (“bronze level”) receive a monthly net allowance of 25.000 HUF. The fourth level (‘iron’) does not receive any financial reward, and is awarded to mentors who attend the programme’s sessions but do not show significant progress in the key competences in their chosen field.
Based on the grant contract for mentoring, additional individualised benefits may include:
working clothes;
laptop and/or telephone use;
use of a car;
funding for a study trip abroad;
exam fee cover;
support for competitions;
support for obtaining a driving licence;
support for language examinations;
study contracts for further or higher vocational training
V. 2. Exclusion
A mentored student who:
whose apprenticeship/apprenticeship contract is terminated due to drop-out;
has an unexcused absence from school or from the mentoring programme;
your school average is below 4.50 (technical school) or 4.00 (vocational school);
is subject to a disciplinary hearing in school for serious disciplinary offences, or engages in conduct incompatible with the values and standards of the model economy of the State during his/her participation in the programme;
the mentor gives an “iron grade” in his/her monthly evaluation for the third time in a school year.
VI. Completion of the mentoring programme and technician training
VI.1 Completion of the mentoring programme, career prospects in agriculture
The mentoring programme is closed after the end of the mentored student’s apprenticeship:
at the end of the 13th year of the technical school, after successful completion of the school-leaving examination and the vocational examination (duration of the mentoring programme: 3 academic years);
in a vocational school at the end of the 11th year of schooling, following successful completion of the 11th year of schooling and a vocational examination (duration of mentoring: 2 academic years).
Based on the number of sessions completed during the programme and the mentors’ monthly ratings, students participating in the programme (with ‘gold’ and ‘silver’ ratings) may sit an examination in the relevant field of training.
For mentored students with a pass mark in the examination:
the National Stud and Educational Farm offers them a job and career prospects in the field of their choice in the programme with an advanced starting salary and/or
a study contract with the mentored student for further vocational training or higher education.
VI.2. The apprenticeship as a certified technician
Within the framework of the apprenticeship, students can obtain a vocational qualification and a baccalaureate on the basis of a joint advanced vocational programme of the cooperating vocational training and higher education institutions, and then continue their studies at the relevant university of their specialisation, even without admission. The new format will allow young people to acquire the highest level of skills in a shorter time by taking pre-defined credits. The programme will also offer the possibility to combine not only secondary and higher education content, but also dual training. Thus, students can automatically continue their upper-secondary dual training in the company where they were previously working under a vocational training contract. The apprenticeship system thus provides a unique opportunity for young people to gain work experience in a real company environment from the age of 16, to earn their own income and eventually to obtain a higher education qualification.
For students, a technician qualification provides a career path that can be consciously planned, a predictable job opportunity, and for farmers’ organisations, a more effective recruitment tool.
Our aim is to launch a certified technician training programme in Mezőhegyes from the 2024/2025 academic year, which, subject to availability, will also be open to students starting their secondary education in traditional vocational education after completing their basic education in the sector. Priority will be given to students participating in the mentoring programme for access to the training.
Please follow the details of the programme on our website and community page. The electronic application form is available by clicking on the button below:
Tarkó Gábor
Head Teacher
Felhasznált irodalom:
Ernst József: Gluzek Gyula. In: Für Lajos – Pintér János (szerk.): Magyar agrártörténeti életrajzok. Magyar Mezőgazdasági Múzeum kiadása. Budapest, 1987.
Gluzek Gyula: A mezőhegyesi m. kir. Ménesbirtok igazgatóságának jelentése az 1888. évben kifejtett mőködéséről. Budapest, 1889.
Gluzek Gyula: Mezőhegyesi magyar királyi állami Ménesbirtok rövid leírása az 1891. évben. Arad, 1891.
ikk.hu
https://ikk.hu/hirek/jovo-tanevtol-indul-az-okleveles-technikuskepzes
Letöltés dátuma: 2021. szeptember 08.
Markó László (fıszerk.): Új magyar életrajzi lexikon II. kötet. Magyar Könyvklub, 2001.
Lukácsy Sándor. Kerti Gazdaság. 1857. október 3. 1. 1. 5.
Papi Balogh Péter: Mezőhegyes az 1876. évnek kezdetén. Véleményes jelentés a Csanádmegyei Gazdasági Egyesület álladalmi ménesbirtok viszonyainak tanulmányozására kiküldött szemle-bizottságnak. Arad, 1877.
Tóth István: Mezőhegyes 200 éve. Budapest, 1986.
Walleshausen Gyula: A magyaróvári agrárfelsőoktatás 175 éve. PATE. Mosonmagyaróvár, 1993.
With his appointment as Governor of the Hungarian Royal State Stud Farm, he became the number one leader of the farm, which at that time had a size of 27897 kh (16053 ha). His life’s work of value creation, the revitalisation of the farm entrusted to him and the establishment of one of the most modern large-scale agricultural enterprises in Europe were all accomplished in a short period of just 16 years. Gluzek’s actions brought about the golden age of the stud farm.