Qualification details
Title
New Zealand Certificate in Horticulture (Level 3) with strands in Amenity,
Arboriculture, Cemetery, Fruit Production, Indoor Crop Production, Outdoor
Vegetable Production, Landscape Construction, Nursery Production, PostHarvest, and Sports Turf
Version
1
Qualification type
Certificate
Level
3
Credits
55-80
NZSCED
050301 Agriculture, Environmental and Related
Studies>Horticulture and Viticulture>Horticulture
Qualification developer
Primary ITO
Next review
December 2019
Approval date
May 2015
Strategic purpose statement
The purpose of this qualification is to provide the horticulture
industry with individuals who have the skills and knowledge to
assist with a range of core tasks relevant to a horticulture
industry sector.
The qualification is stranded to recognise the specific skills and
knowledge for horticulture production sectors.
Learner will benefit by having a qualification within a training
pathway that recognises progression through the industry, as
well as increased skills and knowledge acquisition to enable
improved job performance.
The horticulture industry will benefit by having staff that are able
to carry out tasks in a safe, appropriate, and effective manner.
This qualification is ideal for people who may have some general
experience, or have a desire to work, in the horticulture industry
who want to develop their skills and knowledge in a specific
horticultural industry sector.
Graduates will be capable of working under limited supervision
with responsibility for work outcomes.
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Graduate profile
Graduates of the qualification will be able to:
Core Outcome
-
work as an effective member of a team including
communication and interaction with team members and
colleagues relevant to a role in the horticulture sector.
(10 credits)
Graduates of the Amenity strand will also be able to:
-
carry out routine maintenance of parks and open spaces
(40 credits)
-
carry out routine maintenance of plants and gardens in
parks and open spaces
(20 credits)
Graduates of the Arboriculture strand will also be able to:
-
carry out routine arboriculture duties and site clean-up
(50 credits)
-
carry out routine tree planting and care
(10 credits)
Graduates of the Cemetery strand will also be able to:
-
dig, reinstate, disinter, shore, and maintain graves
(60 credits)
Graduates of the Fruit Production strand will also be able to:
-
carry out routine seasonal fruit production tasks
(65 credits)
Graduates of the Indoor Crop Production strand will also be able
to:
-
carry out routine seasonal indoor crop production tasks
(70 credits)
Outcome Statement
Graduates of the Outdoor Vegetable Production strand will also
be able to:
Qualification Reference 2678
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2015
-
carry out routine seasonal outdoor vegetable production
tasks
(65 credits)
Graduates of the Landscape Construction strand will also be able
to:
- carry out routine tasks associated with implementation of
a landscape design
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(65 credits)
Graduates of the Nursery Production strand will also be able to:
-
carry out routine nursery production tasks
(60 credits)
Graduates of the Post-Harvest strand will also be able to:
-
carry out operational tasks within post-harvest production
systems
(40 credits)
-
co-ordinate the availability of inventory and consumables
for continuous post-harvest grading and packing
(20 credits)
Graduates of the Sports Turf strand will also be able to:
-
maintain sports surfaces consistent with enterprise and
sports code specifications
(45 credits)
Education pathway
This qualification may build on the New Zealand Certificate in
Primary Industry Skills (Level 2) [Ref: 2218] and may lead on to
the relevant strand of the New Zealand Certificate in Horticulture
Production (Level 4) with strands in Fruit Production, Indoor
Production, Outdoor Vegetable Production, Nursery Production,
Post-Harvest [Ref: 2676], or the New Zealand Certificate in
Horticulture Services (Level 4) with strands in Amenity,
Arboriculture, Cemetery, Landscape Design, Landscape
Construction, and Sports Turf [Ref: 2674].
Employment pathway
Graduates of this qualification are likely to be employed as:
Amenity – assistant amenity gardener
Arboriculture - arborist grounds person
Cemetery - burial grounds person
Landscape Construction - landscape labourer
Sports Turf - school grounds person, golf course labourer, bowls
greenkeeper, racetrack labourer
Fruit Production – orchard worker, vineyard worker
Indoor Production – greenhouse worker
Outdoor Vegetable Production – crop worker, seasonal hand
Nursery Production – nursery worker, budder, grafter
Post-harvest – post harvest worker.
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Qualification specifications
Qualification award
This qualification may be awarded by the Primary ITO as the
qualification developer and the industry training organisation
arranging training leading to the qualification under section 5 of
the Industry Training Act 1992.
This qualification may also be awarded by an education
organisation accredited under section 250 of the Education Act
1989 to deliver an approved programme leading to this
qualification.
The formal document certifying the award of this qualification will
display the NZQF logo and may also include the name and/or
logo of the awarding education organisation.
Evidence requirements for
assuring consistency
All education organisations offering programmes leading to the
qualification must engage with arrangements for managing
consistency, including covering actual and reasonable related
costs.
Each education organisation is responsible for deciding what
specific evidence it will provide to demonstrate how well its
graduates meet the graduate profile outcomes of the
qualification.
Evidence of the following must be provided:

Student feedback on course delivery and qualification
achievement, their perception of the value of the training,
and suggestions for improvements

Feedback from employers on the level of skills,
knowledge and behaviour demonstrated by graduates of
the qualification

Evidence of effective internal quality assurance systems

Portfolios of work and/or assessment samples
demonstrating the range of student performance within a
programme
TEOs can also provide any other relevant evidence that supports
the consistency review.
Minimum standard of
achievement and standards for
grade endorsements
The minimum standard of achievement required for award of the
qualification will be the achievement of all graduate outcomes in
the graduate profile through successful completion of an NZQA
approved programme.
Other requirements for the
qualification (including regulatory
body or legislative requirements)
There are no regulatory body or legislative requirements
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General conditions for the programme leading to the qualification
General conditions for
programme
TEOs offering programmes leading to this qualification must
maintain currency with amendments to, and replacements of,
relevant legislation, regulations, and Codes of Practice.
Health and safety, sustainable practices, recording, and reporting
apply across all outcomes.
The behaviours that contribute to compliance with workplace
procedures, and commercial standards and timeframes are
inherent in the performance of the qualification’s outcomes and
must be considered as part of the assessment process.
Conditions relating to the Graduate profile
Qualification outcomes
Conditions
1
Programmes may include the following topics:
Work as an effective member
of a team including
communication and interaction
with team members and
colleagues relevant to a role in
the horticulture sector.
-
Listening and responding
-
Following instructions
-
Reporting
-
Conflict resolution
-
Cultural awareness
-
Co operation
-
Collaboration
Communication may also include with the public when required
for the role
2
Amenity Strand
Carry out routine maintenance
of parks and open spaces
Programmes may include the following topics:
-
Care of amenity lawns mowing, edging
-
Equipment, tools, and machinery - use and maintenance
-
Weeds, and plant pests and disease identification and
control
Programmes may also include maintenance of artificial or hard
surfaces such as bitumen and cobbles.
3
Carry out routine maintenance
of plants and gardens in parks
and open spaces
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Programmes may include the following topics:
-
Amenity plant – identification, botanical nomenclature,
taxonomy, care, propagation
-
Weeds, and plant pests and disease identification and
control
-
Pruning
-
Training
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4
Arboriculture Strand
Carry out routine arboriculture
duties and site clean-up
5
6
Carry out routine tree planting
and care
Cemetery Strand
Dig, reinstate, disinter, shore,
and maintain graves
-
Planting and transplanting
-
Soil science
-
Fertilisers
-
Irrigation
-
Drainage
-
Amenity specific records
Programmes may include the following topics:
-
Use and maintenance of arboriculture tools and
machinery – brushwood chipper, grinder, chainsaws
-
Knowledge of – climbing gear and use, aerial tree rescue
approaches
-
Climber support procedures and basic climbing
techniques
-
Weeds, and plant pests and disease identification and
control
-
Harmful plants during clean up
-
Tree identification and pruning
-
Codes of Practice and safe operating procedures
-
Hazard identification
-
Personal protective equipment
Programmes may include the following topics:
-
Tree planting and maintenance – soil water
measurement, pruning cycles, tree pit science, root
preparation, age specific requirements
-
Tree support – staking and guying trees
-
Tree protection in urban areas – guards, grills, cages
-
Tree mulching practices
Programmes may include the following topics:
-
Natural subsidence
-
Back fill techniques
-
Grave probing
-
Plot identification
-
Cultural burial and cremation
-
Care and maintenance of monumental works
Programmes may include digging either by hand or machine.
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7
Fruit Production Strand
Carry out routine seasonal fruit
production tasks
8
Indoor Crop Production Strand
Carry out routine seasonal
indoor crop production tasks
Programmes may include the following topics depending on the
type of fruit:
-
Fruit production tasks – fertiliser application, planting,
grafting, pollination, crop thinning, training, pruning, leaf
plucking, bud rubbing, shoot thinning, bunch thinning,
tucking, lateral removal, frost protection, bird control,
harvesting
-
Weeds, and plant pests and disease identification and
control
-
Growing cycles
-
Soil science
-
Irrigation systems – use, maintenance
-
Vehicles and machinery – use, maintenance
-
Use of digital tools
-
Food safety
-
Quality control
-
Infrastructure maintenance
Programmes must include the following topics:
-
Indoor crop production tasks, for example – plant
grooming, crop thinning, training, pruning, harvesting
-
Weeds, and plant pests and disease identification and
control
-
Hygiene practices
Programmes may include the following topics:
9
Outdoor Vegetable Production
Strand
Carry out routine seasonal
outdoor vegetable production
tasks
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Growing cycles
-
Hydroponics and solutions
-
Irrigation systems – use, maintenance
-
Equipment – use, maintenance
-
Improvements
Programmes may include the following topics:
-
Outdoor vegetable production tasks – fertiliser
application, transplanting, sowing seed, cultivation,
harvesting
-
Weeds, and plant pests and disease identification and
control
-
Vehicles, machinery, and equipment – use,
maintenance, GPS
-
Vegetable plants, growth habits
-
Growing cycles
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10
Landscape Construction
Strand
Carry out routine tasks
associated with the
implementation of a landscape
design
11
Nursery Production Strand
Carry out routine nursery
production tasks
12
Post-Harvest Strand
Carry out operational tasks
within post-harvest production
systems
13
Co-ordinate the availability of
inventory and consumables for
continuous post-harvest
grading and packing
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Soil science
-
Irrigation systems – use, maintenance
Programmes may include the following topics:
-
Site set-out
-
Hard landscaping
-
Soft landscaping
-
Irrigation
-
Drainage
-
Maintenance
-
Design awareness
Programmes may include the following topics:
-
Nursery production tasks – propagation, care through
growing cycles
-
Weeds, and plant pests and disease identification and
control
-
Plant botany
-
Irrigation systems – use, maintenance
-
Quality control
-
Orders and despatch
Programmes may include the following topics:
-
Grading and packing
-
Machinery and equipment
-
Food safety and sanitation
-
Temperature and environmental controls
-
Standards and systems
-
Pest and disease identification
-
Task efficiency
-
Labelling and traceability
Programmes may include the following topics:
-
Timing
-
Task co-ordination and time related efficiencies
-
Product transfer methods
-
Equipment use
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14
Sports Turf Strand
Programmes must include the following topics:
Carry out routine maintenance
of sports surfaces consistent
with enterprise and sports
code specifications
-
Turf –plants, growth habits
-
Pests, weeds, disease, algae, moss identification
-
Use of specialised turf machinery - mower, renovator,
groomer
-
Nutrient requirements and fertiliser application
-
Water management
(40 credits)
Programmes may include the following topics:
-
Irrigation systems
-
Turf renovation
-
Artificial surface – hygiene, performance characteristics.
Transition information
Replacement information
This qualification replaced:
-
the National Certificate in Horticulture (Level 3) [Ref: 1471],
-
the National Certificate in Horticulture (Arboriculture) (Level 3)
[Ref: 1533],
-
the National Certificate in Amenity Turf Maintenance (Level 3)
[Ref: 1078],
-
the National Certificate in Sports Turf (Introduction to Turf
Care) (Level 3) [Ref: 0700], and
-
the National Certificate in Equine (Racecourse Management)
(Level 3) with strands in Harness Racing, and Thoroughbred
Racing [Ref: 0367].
Learners currently enrolled in programmes leading to the replaced qualifications may either complete the
requirements as specified below, or transfer their results to this replacement qualification.
The last date for entry into programmes leading to the replaced qualifications is 31 December 2017 and
the last date for award of the replaced qualifications is 31 December 2019. The National Certificate in
Equine (Racecourse Management) (Level 3) with strands in Harness Racing, and Thoroughbred Racing
[Ref: 0367] has been discontinued with effect from 20 April 2016.
Republication information
Version 1 of this qualification was republished in April 2016 to indicate that this qualification replaced the
National Certificate in Equine (Racecourse Management) (Level 3) with strands in Harness Racing, and
Thoroughbred Racing [Ref: 0367] which was discontinued with effect from 20 April 2016.
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