AHC30616 – Certificate III in production horticulture

What is the course about?

This Horticulture qualification provides a vocational outcome in production horticulture. The qualification enables individuals to select a tree cropping, vegetable or berry production or mushroom production context as a job focus or, in the case of mixed enterprises, both.

Job titles may include: Vegetable farm worker, Orchard farm worker, Mushroom farm worker

What is it going to do for me?

It provides students with the skills & knowledge needed to work under supervision as a skilled operator or assistant to a tradesperson in the horticulture industry. Students complete a range of general horticulture modules & may choose electives from a range of industry specific modules.
Depending on the subject chosen, you will be able to:

• Operate tractors, equipment & machinery
• Harvest & treating plants
• Harvest horticultural crops mechanically
• Establish horticultural crops
• Apply chemicals safely
• Treat weeds, pests & diseases
• Operate pressurised irrigation systems

How long is it going to take?

The course is “competency based on the job training” which means that you are assessed when you are competent not when you pass exams. Because of this the course can take between 12 and 36 months. But this can be shortened depending on your current skills which can go towards recognition of prior learning (RPL).

How is the qualification delivered?

If you are currently employed in Horticulture, training can be delivered through a “Traineeship”. The trainers come to your workplace & use your practical work experience combined with the bookwork to help you achieve your certificate.

If you are currently not employed in Horticulture, ARO can still help you. Please contact us to discuss your options.

What does the course contain?

• Completion of fifteen (15) units made up of one
• (1) core unit & fourteen (14) elective units.
• A minimum of four (4) units must come from elective group A
• A minimum of seven (7) units must come from elective groups A or B
• A maximum of three (3) units may be selected from units aligned to Certificates II, III IV in AHC or from any other currently endorsed training package or accredited course. Selected units must be relevant to job outcomes in the production horticulture industry.

* Please note – AHCCHM307 Prepare and apply chemicals to control pest, weeds and diseases and AHCCHM304 Transport and store chemicals form the AHCSS00074 Agricultural Chemical Skill Set. These units are not delivered on site and students are required to attend a three day training session at ARO Educational Services site in the Adelaide Hills.

Client(s): Target group are primarily engaged in a horticulture industry environment, & is likely to be involved in coordinating a wide range of activities. Target group are experienced workers in this type of organisation, but may have no qualification & or require up skilling of current knowledge & skills. They are existing new employees or can be longer existing workers.

Equipment / Facilities: All equipment/facilities used for training purposes are supplied by the employer at the training location & or by the trainer (where applicable). Applicable work health and safety compliance & instruction apply at all times of training & assessment.

Delivery & assessment arrangements

Duration: The course is “competency based on the job training” which means that you are assessed when you are competent not when you pass exams. Because of this the course can take between 12 and 36 months. But this can be shortened depending on your current skills which can go towards recognition of prior learning (RPL).
Organisation: The 15 units of competency in the qualification have been organised into an on-the-job training programme comprising of three ‘general work skills’ modules & four ‘applied industry skills’ modules.

The programme is organised so that candidates are provided with background information on general skills such as Contribute to WHS processes, in the ‘general work skills’ modules & are given the opportunity to apply these skills in the ‘applied industry skills’ modules.

For example, Contribute to WHS processes & the applied industry skill- Prepare & Apply Chemicals.

It is only when the client successfully completes both modules that they deemed competent in the unit of competency AHCWHS301 Contribute to WHS processes.

The alignment between the units of competency & the training programme appears on the following page.