The 18th edition of the training initiative is consolidated with 12 people enrolled, once again exceeding the available places. Since its founding, the center has ensured that nearly 60 percent of its graduates dedicate themselves to the primary sector, either self-employed or working for others. However, the main challenge for young shepherds remains access to land and guaranteeing generational replacement.
Throughout its 18 years, the school has seen significant changes, especially in the composition of the student body, which is now gender-balanced, with 50 percent women. Regarding location, the school started at the Bon Repòs farm in Pallars Jussà, and later moved to Llagunes, in Pallars Sobirà. For the past five years, the headquarters have been established in the small village of Enviny, within the municipality of Sort.
As a family or collective-based activity that produces healthy, high-quality food without compromising future resources, focusing on direct and local sales, without intermediaries.
The training program consists of two months of theoretical sessions in Enviny, with direct contact with a nearby sheep farm, followed by four months of practical classes on a host livestock farm. This year, the course has been extended by one week to include specific training in farm maintenance, a key skill for territorial management and the long-term sustainability of the operations.
The school's students come from various parts of the Països Catalans (Catalan Countries), including Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, and the Valencian Country. Many, like Jaume Pardo from Mallorca or Elsa Cabús from Pallars Jussà, are not children of farmers but seek a return to their origins and are attracted by the center's agroecological focus.
“"I like that the Shepherds' School is closely linked to the trade, the territory, traditions, and nature."
