BOPPOLYhortnews - Bay of Plenty Polytechnic

April 2012
BOPPOLY
hortnews
Jan Bell
Post Harvest Level 4
National Certificate in Horticultural Level 4
Advanced - Post Harvest Strand
within an organisation and the impact
their work has on others.
2012 sees the Polytechnic running a Post
Harvest option for students pursuing careers
in this burgeoning sector. All students start
the cadet programme by completing their
National Certificate in Horticulture Level 2,
giving the students a good grounding in general
horticultural principals. Students can then
choose the Post Harvest option or the Fruit
Production option.
The benefit to a student is that they have
more job opportunities - both within the
kiwifruit Industry and in other industries.
The benefit to a business is that they gain
an employee with knowledge of basic
horticulture and an understanding of
compliance, auditing, supervision and pack
house systems.
They become a more versatile employee.
Industry has indicated the need for quality
people with both horticultural and industry
knowledge. Knowledge does not come free
and without effort, it requires an investment
of time and money from both the employer
and employee.
Learning how other processes function, the
difficulties they face and the compliance issues
they have helps people see the operation as a
whole and makes them conscious of their role
If you don’t have staff at the skill or
knowledge level you require then take a
look at Bay of Plenty Polytechnic’s Cadet
Programme.
The aim of the Post Harvest strand is to help
people obtain an overview of Post Harvest
processes and to help them transition into other
areas of their work place.
NCH LEVEL 4 (Year 3)
NCH LEVEL 2
(Year 1)
NCH LEVEL 4 (Year 2)
(Post Harvest)
(Post Harvest Advanced)
Basic Horticultural
Science
Post Harvest
Operations
Post Harvest
Management
Know the science
behind production
Understand & be able
to work in various
processes
Frontline Supervision
and Management
Certificate in Kiwifruit Orchard Skills
The industry endorsed popular Orchard Skills course has been running since 2006.
To keep the programme relevant and up-to-the-minute, we consult widely with industry
ensuring it is continuously updated. In keeping with this, the programme now includes
current KVH hygiene protocols.
Employed at Bay of Plenty Polytechnic,
Academic Staff Member - Horticulture
The programme has been developed to give orchard workers an
opportunity to gain a qualification and to recognise valuable skills.
All training and assessment is completed on orchard. This practical
programme is independently assessed and is competency based.
Helping people to progress their careers, the orchard skills
certificate leads on to the part-time Fruit Production
programme offering a national Certificate Level 4.
Please contact us at anytime we look forward to meeting you.
Western Bay of Plenty:
Marlia Fraser, 0800 BOP POLY ext. 6863, or
027 234 2534, email: [email protected]
Eastern Bay of Plenty:
Paul O’Brien, 027 467 2384,
email: [email protected]
My Journey in Quality Control
I began working in the Kiwifruit Industry more
than 15 years ago. I worked on an orchard on a
casual basis doing any work required - pruning,
thinning, tying down, mowing, summer pruning
and quality work. It was great but I felt I needed
to move myself up the pay scale, so with that
in mind I moved into quality control work in the
kiwifruit industry.
I liked quality work, there was always plenty of
work to be done and the experience was good
but on the downside the pay rates are not terrific
and there wasn’t much scope to advance. I felt I
had gone as far as I could in kiwifruit at that time.
So I enrolled in a Post Graduate Diploma of
Quality Management. Studying was not easy...
It was a big learning curve! I was not supported
by my employer so study had to be fitted in and
around earning money. I did as many papers as I
could in any year.
The investment and effort paid off. I am able to
apply for jobs in other industries that I would
never have considered previously. I earned
back what it cost in study fees in less than
one year! My knowledge of my subject has
increased immensely. I learnt self discipline
and self motivation as universities don’t accept
excuses for late work, lack of research or poor
presentation. In my role as a horticultural tutor
with Bay of Plenty Polytechnic I am encouraged
and supported into developing the skills
necessary for my job.
My advice: Take a minute to look up and see
where you are heading; if you don’t like the
direction then find a way to change it. If you
require further education then get it. Select the
study that will help you achieve your goal and
attack it. Don’t wait for somebody to provide
it for you or energise you. Accept you may
find it difficult, accept setbacks, but carry on
regardless. Never think you are too old, not
intelligent enough and especially don’t use the
word can’t.
Jan Bell
Freephone 0800 BOP POLY | For more info visit www.boppoly.ac.nz
Hort Cadet Programme Update
Our 2012 part-time classes are up and running with a fresh
group of energetic and focused students. As the kiwifruit
harvest approaches we will be scaling down classes.
Our new Eastern Bay intake is completing the part-time certificate on a block
course model which is working well. The Western Bay students are enjoying our
new student facilities while coming to grips with plant and weed identification,
health and safety, and study skills.
The second year, Level 4 fruit production students (Eastern and Western),
completed summer canopy management, harvest supervision, and propagation of
fruit tree units. We were kindly hosted by Copperfields and Tharfields nurseries
where the students gained valuable knowledge and skills in budding and grafting.
Awesome!
Year 2 students with Avocado grafts.
The Level 4 post harvest strand is also underway (as outlined above).
All students have been given training in the Polytechnic online learning option
‘Baylearn’ which will be used to re-enforce the classroom based learning.
The introductory sessions were fun and showcased the usefulness of this
educational tool.
Congratulations to James MacKenzie for gaining a $500 HortNZ Industry
Trainee Scholarship!
Year 2 students at Copperfields Citrus
Nursery – budding citrus.
For more info email [email protected].
Full-time students and staff in the Bay
of Plenty Polytechnic Street Parade 2012
Dates to diarise events coming up!
Young Fruit Grower of the year competition
20 June
Horticultural Cadets Level 2 - next intake:
14 June
Fruit Production for Profit programme
26 June
Chainsaw courses (1 and 5 day)
May-June
Freephone 0800 BOP POLY | For more info visit www.boppoly.ac.nz