VOCATIONAL PROGRAMME LEADING TO PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATION
Natural Resource Use Programme
Are you interested in animals, or do you love being out in nature? This programme is for anyone who wants to work with plants, animals, soil, water or forests.
Video: This video provides a brief description of the Natural Resource Use Programme (time: 5:24 min)
What you will learn in the Natural Resource Use Programme
The Natural Resource Use Programme allows you to realise your dreams of working with animals and nature. To enjoy the programme, you should have a basic interest in one of the areas of natural resource use. No prior knowledge is required, because you will learn everything through the programme.
The programme will develop your ability to use natural resources. You will gain a better understanding of the diversity of nature and how different activities affect it. You will also learn about biology, ecology, technology and economics.
You will learn to scrutinise and critically reflect on how you can use nature in a sustainable way. The programme involves practical applications and centres around various assignments that you complete individually or in a group. You will train your ability to take initiative, develop new and creative solutions, and learn about entrepreneurship and the conditions of business enterprise. You will learn how to plan and carry out work tasks and then assess the results.
The programme places great emphasis on occupational health and safety issues to avoid work-related injuries and to build good health.
Take the opportunity to join this programme! You will learn a lot, like about leadership, and you will gain a lot of contacts out in working life. It's really worth it. You gain more self-awareness, grow as a person and get to know yourself better.
Elias / studied on the Natural Resource Use Programme, with the orientation Nature Tourism
Diploma goals
The diploma goals describe what you should be capable of doing when you graduate from a particular upper secondary school programme.
Diploma goals for the Natural Resource Use Programme (skolverket.se)
Programme structure
The programme structure shows you which subjects and levels are included in the programme. You can also see how many credits each subject and level covers.
Programme structure for the Natural Resource Use Programme (PDF)
Orientations
Animal Care
- You will learn about animals, animal behaviour and the interaction between animals and humans. This orientation prepares you for a job as an animal keeper, to work with dogs, to work in a pet shop, etc.
Horse Husbandry
- You will learn about the horse as a biological being, its behaviour and the interaction between horses and humans. This orientation prepares you for jobs such as a groom specialising in riding or harness racing.
Agriculture
- You will learn about land, plants, animals, economy, technology and natural resource management. This orientation prepares you for agricultural jobs specialising in machinery, animals, crop production or rural services.
Nature Tourism
- You will learn about how natural resources can be managed and made accessible to visitors and how to lead their nature experience. This orientation prepares you for jobs such as nature guide, sports fishing guide, work in hunting and game management, or work in specialist retail.
Forestry
- You will learn about the forest as a sustainable resource and deepen your knowledge of technology and biology. This orientation prepares you to seek jobs such as forestry machine operator or forester.
Horticulture
- You will learn about soil, plants, plant environments and the importance of gardens in society. This orientation prepares you to seek jobs in, for example, the maintenance of outdoor environments, horticulture or landscaping.
Diploma project
At the end of the Natural Resource Use Programme, you will carry out a diploma project in your chosen professional field. Through this project, you will demonstrate that you have the knowledge required to start working in your chosen field.
Workplace-based learning
Parts of the programme take place at one or more workplaces for at least 15 weeks. This is known as workplace-based learning (arbetsplatsförlagt lärande, APL). APL gives you the opportunity to use the knowledge you gained through school and put it into practice. It gives you work experience and contacts you can use when looking for a job.
Apprenticeship education
If the school offers upper secondary apprenticeship education within the programme, you can choose this. This means that you gain the same knowledge, but spend at least half of the programme based at one or more workplaces.
About apprenticeship education in upper secondary school
Starting work after the programme and examples of professions
You can start working right after completing the programme. Here are some examples of professions you may qualify for after the programme. For each profession, there is a link to facts about the duties and salary for the profession.
The professional skills you gain will depend on the combination of subjects and levels you choose from the programme specialisation. Here are some examples of possible professions after completing the Natural Resource Use Programme.
Work with animals
Work with agricultural crops or livestock
Work with agricultural machinery
Nature guide
Forestry machine operator or forestry machine service technician
Forester
For more information on the duties involved in the different professions and forecasts of future job prospects, see the “Hitta yrken A–Ö” (Find professions A–Ö) service.
Hitta yrken A–Ö (Find professions A–Ö)
Further studies after the programme and qualification
Do you want to continue your studies at a college or university after completing the programme? This programme gives you the opportunity to meet the general entry requirements for higher education studies, as well as certain specific entry requirements for further studies in higher education programmes that require natural science qualifications.
After the programme, you can also study a higher vocational education programme or a programme at a folk high school.
General entry requirements for upper secondary school vocational programme, skolverket.se
Don't be afraid to try, even if you don't have any farming in your background! What's most important is that you're interested and want to learn.
Tilde / studied on the Natural Resource Use Programme, with the orientation Animal Care
Qualification for higher education after the programme
Use the “Behörighetsvisaren” (Qualification indicator) service to see which programmes you are eligible to apply for after the programme.