Apiculture Specialist

AKA: Beekeeper

Production

Think

He must be a dull man who can examine the exquisite structure of a comb, so beautifully adapted to its end, without enthusiastic admiration.

Charles Darwin, Naturalist
Apiculture Specialist

Geoff Wilson Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture

In A Nutshell

I manage colonies of bees for the purpose of pollination and production of honey.

I build hives, replace combs, and make sure the breeding yards are at an optimal level of production.

I collect and properly package honey, beeswax, and pollen, and then sell the products to customers or distributors.

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Potential Salary Range

$24,000 - 34,000 Annually

Which provinces would this job be in?

Alberta AB
Alberta
British Columbia BC
British Columbia
Manitoba MB
Manitoba
New Brunswick NB
New Brunswick
Newfoundland & Labrador NL
Newfoundland & Labrador
Nova Scotia NS
Nova Scotia
Ontario ON
Ontario
Prince Edward Island PEI
Prince Edward Island
Quebec QC
Quebec
Saskwatchewan SK
Saskwatchewan

I work outside, and spend my day travelling between hives noting honey production, checking for disease, maintaining hives, and recording notes. 

Workplace

Outdoor

Job Requirements & Duties

  • Insert honey combs and introduce swarms to new hives
  • Assemble beehives
  • Use a smoke pot and wear personal protective equipment, such as safety suits and nets
  • Understand behaviour of the queen bee and colony characteristics
  • Manage the growth of the hive by eliminating or collecting new queen bee cells
  • Keep the hive healthy by monitoring bee behaviour and treating for mites and disease

Education & Training

  • To begin an entry level position as an apiary worker, many employers require a high school diploma.
  • To work in a management or research position, a bachelor’s degree in marketing, business, animal bioscience, biology, or entomology is likely required.
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Job Outlook

    The labour demand and the labour supply are expected to be relatively in line for this job over the next ten years; the job outlook is fair. 

Related School Subjects

Science
Practical Applied Arts

What words come to mind when thinking about this career?

Bees Honey Hives Pollinators

Important Skills

Analytical Thinking

Sometimes I look into a hive and notice the bees behaving unusually; I have to quickly analyze the situation to figure out what's wrong.

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Problem Solving

Coding is basically writing a list of instructions for a computer to follow. When things don’t work, I have to work through the instruction list line by line to solve the problem. 

Patience

When working with bees, it's so important to stay calm and be patient to keep the animals you're working with calm as well.

interpersonal-man-people-communication-Relation

Interpersonal

As an advisor, I need to listen actively, and communicate well so my customers feel a professional connection to me and feel supported by my guidance. 

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The Best Things About This Job Are…

Working with Animals
Helps Others
Working in a Small Business
Independent Work