New Zealand Certificate in Horticulture Production (Level 4) (Nursery Production)

Program Overview

This horticulture program at NMIT provides advanced training in nursery operations, including propagation techniques, plant health management, and business practices. Through a blend of classroom instruction, practical workshops, and work placement, students gain hands-on experience and prepare for entry-level roles in the horticulture industry, such as nursery propagator or horticultural consultant. The program offers flexible learning options, including full-time and part-time, and emphasizes physical endurance and adherence to health and safety protocols.

Program Outline

• Understand plant hormones and how to manage plant growth and health.
• Gain knowledge about plants' water, nutrient, and climatic needs.
• Develop a planting plan for a growing project of your choice.
• Set up a soil-less media experiment, learn to create landscape drawing, and plan, plant, and monitor a revegetation project.
• Understand the machinery and equipment used in a nursery.
• Explore the business side of running a nursery and supervising others.

Program Structure and Delivery:

• Offered at NMIT, which is part of Te Pūkenga.
• Graduates receive Te Pūkenga qualifications.
• Flexible learning options available (full-time/part-time).
• Full-time program runs 46 weeks, including study breaks.
Part-time options can take up to 3 years.
• Richmond, New Zealand campus location.
• Two days a week on campus (Thursdays 1 PM - 5 PM and Fridays 9 AM - 3 PM).
• Work placement for two days a week (ideally paid job or self-sourced).
• Part-time option: one afternoon class (Thursday, 1 PM - 5 PM) with remaining work integrated in your chosen workplace.

Modules:

• Nursery Environment: Explores soils and soilless media, nutrient management, mist units, irrigation, temperature & weather management.
• Nursery Operations: Focuses on advanced propagation practices, seed sowing, producing plants from cuttings, grafting, budding, understanding cultivars & PVRs, stock management, stool beds, and all production stages for plant growth through science of plant hormones.
• Nursery Crop Protection: Covers pest, disease, and weed identification and management in nursery settings.
• Plant Selection and Planning: Focuses on plant identification, landscape design, and planting plans suitable for amenity areas and revegetation projects.
• Nursery Equipment: Explores grow houses, forklift training, shade houses, potting machines, packing, and dispatch.
• Business Management and Marketing: Examines marketing strategies and developing a business plan specific to a nursery enterprise
• Teaching Methods: A blend of lectures, practical workshops, and hands-on work placement in a real-world nursery setting.

Careers:

• Entry-level positions in horticulture, ranging from seasonal to permanent roles.
• Potential job titles:
• Nursery propagator
• Horticultural consultant
• Crop manager
• Cool store manager
• Science technician
• Career progression example: Nursery assistant -> Seed source propagator -> Production coordinator -> Manager

Other:

• Physical Requirements: Horticulture work requires physical endurance and strength, particularly at the initial stages within the industry.
• Practical and Workplace Components: 500 hours of work-integrated learning within the program, typically spread across two days/week.
Workplacements can be paid but often require students to source their opportunities.
• Workplace Requirements:
• Adherence to health and safety protocols, including strict adherence to a zero alcohol and drug tolerance policy.
• Pre-employment drug testing and random workplace testing may be implemented.

Note:

This extraction is based on my interpretation of the provided context.