Horticulture Production Training Information Pack
Detailed training information for growers, producers, packers and others across the industry.
On this page
Jump to training information for: indoor crop, nursery, outdoor crop, fruit, distribution, health & safety, post harvest, vehicles & chainsaws.
General Skills
This recently redeveloped programme sets learners up with the foundational knowledge and skills required to be safe and confidently undertake their role. This is an ideal qualification for new team members with a natural alignment to induction programmes.
For learners, this is a great first step before entering into an apprenticeship.
- Duration: 7 months
- Cost: Zero Fees*
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*Addtional fees may apply for non-domestic/non-funded learners. Additional chainsaw unit available for a cost of: $767.50.
For an in-depth look at the units in this programme, including credit information, click here.
Indoor Crop Production Training
This new, customisable Limited Credit Programme (LCP) allows learners and businesses to select the units they wish to cover, and can be a great introduction to training before moving along the pathway towards a full certificate or apprenticeship.
Topic areas to choose from include:
- communciation, safety and teamwork
- indoor crop growing systems and plant cycles
- seasonal indoor crop tasks
- indoor crop technical skills
- applying agrichemicals.
- Duration: 4 months
- Cost: From $264.50
- Non-domestic/non-funded learner fee from: $2,244.13.
For an in-depth look at the units in this programme, including credit information, click here.
Learning Outcomes:
Learners will develop the skills to understand intensive plant production management and harvesting techniques, and the identification and monitoring of plant pests and diseases within an indoor crop production system. Learners will also gain an understanding of the indoor environment and the effects on crop production.
- Duration: 13 months
- Cost: $1,173
- Non-domestic/non-funded learner fee: $6,883.47.
For an in-depth look at the units in this programme, including credit information, click here.
Learning Outcomes:
Learners will be able to lead and manage a team, ensuring quality and productivity at every step and how to manage, inspire and guide those around them, ensuring the highest standards along the entire indoor crop production process to achieve crop production targets.
- Duration: 19 months
- Cost: $1,828.50
- Non-domestic/non-funded learner fee: $10,812.97.
For an in-depth look at the units in this programme, including credit information, click here.
Learning Outcomes:
The New Zealand Apprenticeship in Indoor Crop Production is a composite level 3 and 4 programme. Graduates will be able to:
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supervise and provide instruction to team members using a range of effective communication and interpersonal skills
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apply safe work practices in the workplace
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use information technology to inform primary industry management decisions
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implement and monitor indoor crop production operations to achieve production goals and standards, including:
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operational tasks from planting to harvesting including pest and disease management, agri-chemical use and understanding plant growing cycles
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quality standards and regulatory requirements
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production goals
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greenhouse environmental control systems to maintain optimal conditions for plant growth
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plant biology
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crop harvesting plans
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indoor crop protection plan
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indoor crop production management techniques.
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- Duration: 31 months
- Cost: $3,001.50
For an in-depth look at the units in this programme, including credit information, click here.
Nursery Production Training
This new, customisable Limited Credit Programme (LCP) allows learners and businesses to select the units they wish to cover, and can be a great introduction to training before moving along the pathway towards a full certificate or apprenticeship.
Topic areas to choose from include:
- Communication
- Prune and train nursery crops
- Agrichemicals
- Soils
- Pest & diseases
- Duration: 4 months
- Cost: From $264.50
- Non-domestic/non-funded learner fee from: $2,244.13.
For an in-depth look at the units in this programme, including credit information, click here.
Learning Outcomes:
Learners will explore more of the detail and science around steering nursery plants to a robust and healthy outcome, be hands on, learning about machinery operation and workflow management. Learners will also be able to identify diseases and pests, and how to give and get the best through great teamwork.
Graduates will be able to:
- work as an effective member of a team including communication and interaction with team members and colleagues
- carry out routine plant care tasks in nursery production
operate machinery for nursery work - demonstrate understanding of workflow management in a horticulture production operation
- demonstrate understanding of factors affecting plant growing cycles and basic soil science
- identify and report signs of weeds, plant pests, diseases, and disorders
- carry out control of plant pests and diseases, including safe use of agri-chemicals
- pack and despatch nursery products.
- Duration: 12 months
- Cost: $1,460.50
- Non-domestic/non-funded learner fee: $7,261.77.
For an in-depth look at the units in this programme, including credit information, click here.
Learning Outcomes:
- Supervise and provide instruction to team members using a range of effective communication and interpersonal skills relevant to a horticulture sector.
- Implement and monitor nursery production plans to achieve goals and standards with new optional topics including:
- describing, identifying and selecting plants for landscape projects
- describing and growing crops and specimens in soil-less growing media such as rock walls and coconut fibres.
- Apply knowledge of environmental factors and sustainable practices to implement and monitor nursery crop management systems with a new optional topic that:
- Demonstrates and applies knowledge of water conservation and use.
- Duration: 20 months
- Cost: $2,156.25
- Non-domestic/non-funded learner fee: $11,673.70.
For an in-depth look at the units in this programme, including credit information, click here.
Learning Outcomes:
The New Zealand Apprenticeship in Nursery Production is available as either a composite level 3 and 4 programme, or level 4 only.
By the end of their training apprentices will have learned the skills to:
- supervise and provide instruction to team members using a range of effective communication and interpersonal skills
- implement and monitor production operations to achieve production goals and standards. This includes:
- quality standards and regulatory requirements
- production goals
- production activities
- harvest plan
- implement and monitor a crop protection plan to meet production goals and standards
- implement and monitor crop management techniques to optimise production. This includes:
- plant biology
- plant management techniques used to optimise production
- implement and monitor environmental risk management in a nursery.
- Duration: 34 months
- Cost: $3,616.75
For an in-depth look at the units in this programme, including credit information, click here.
Outdoor Crop Production Training
This new, customisable Limited Credit Programme (LCP) allows learners and businesses to select the units they wish to cover, and can be a great introduction to training before moving along the pathway towards a full certificate or apprenticeship.
Topic areas to choose from include:
- communciation, safety and teamwork
- outdoor crop growing cycles and plant requirements
- seasonal outdoor crop tasks
- outdoor crop technical skills
- applying agrichemicals.
- Duration: 4 months
- Cost: From $264.50
- Non-domestic/non-funded learner fee from: $2,244.13.
For an in-depth look at the units in this programme, including credit information, click here.
Learning Outcomes:
Learners will explore more of the detail and science around steering vegetable and seed crops through to a healthy harvest. Learners will be hands on, learning how to safely use agri-chemicals, spot diseases and pests and learn how to give and get the best through great teamwork.
- Duration: 13 months
- Cost: $1,173
- Non-domestic/non-funded learner fee: $6,883.47.
For an in-depth look at the units in this programme, including credit information, click here.
Learning Outcomes:
Learners will gain the skills and understanding to step up into supervising, be able to lead and manage a team, ensuring quality and productivity at every step. They will learn how to manage, inspire and guide those around them, ensuring the highest standards along the entire outdoor vegetable and seed production process.
- Duration: 21 months
- Cost: $1,897.50
- Non-domestic/non-funded learner fee: $11,795.64.
For an in-depth look at the units in this programme, including credit information, click here.
Learning Outcomes:
The New Zealand Apprenticeship in Outdoor Crop Production is a composite level 3 and 4 programme. Graduates will be able to:
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- supervise and provide instruction to team members using a range of effective communication and interpersonal skills
- implement and monitor outdoor crop production operations to achieve production goals and standards, including:
- operational tasks from planting to harvesting including pest and disease management, agrichemical use and understanding plant growing cycles
- quality standards and regulatory requirements
- production goals
- crop production activities
- regular management reports
- routine maintenance scheduling
- sustainable production techniques
- environmental risk management
- crop harvesting plans
- implement and monitor an outdoor crop protection plan to meet production goals and standards including:
- managing agrichemicals in accordance with NZS 8409:2004
- implement and monitor outdoor vegetable production management techniques to optimise crop production including:
- plant biology
- plant management techniques used to optimise production
- standard operating procedures.
- Duration: 34 months
- Cost: $3,070.50
For an in-depth look at the units in this programme, including credit information, click here.
Fruit Production Training
This Limited Credit Programme (LCP), is the perfect introduction to training in Horticulture Production, giving learners and workplaces a choice of units tailored to provide the necessary skills and knowledge for their particular operation. Depending on which units you select, graduates will be able to: identify and describe plant pests, diseases and disorders, and methods of prevention and control, demonstrate knowledge of plant structure, functions and processes, describe key features, principles and benefits of integrated pest management in the primary sector, maintain infrastructure in a primary industry workplace.
- Duration: 4 months
- Cost: From $264.50
- Non-domestic/non-funded learner fee from: $2,244.13.
For an in-depth look at the units in this programme, including credit information, click here.
Topics include: Work as an effective team member using a range of effective communication and interpersonal skills and apply safe work practices, routine seasonal plant production tasks,routine crop harvesting, factors influencing plant growing cycles and basic soil science, routine maintenance tasks, weeds, plant pests, diseases, and disorders, compost making and organic horticulture, prune mature fruit trees, train and prune young fruit trees, describe weather, climate and micro-climate characteristics, and interpret weather maps.
- Duration: 13 months
- Cost: From $1,173
- Non-funded fee: $6,883.47.
For an in-depth look at the units in this programme, including credit information, click here.
Topics include: Supervise and provide instruction to team members using a range of effective communication and interpersonal skills, implement and monitor fruit production operations to achieve production goals and standards, implement and monitor a horticulture crop protection plan to meet production goals and standards, implement and monitor fruit crop management techniques to optimise fruit production.
- Duration: 15 months
- Cost: $1,407.60
- Non-funded fee: $8,260.16
For an in-depth look at the units in this programme, including credit information, click here.
The apprenticeship programme starts at Level 3 which sets learners up with the essentials they need to be successful in their role. Once completed, the Level 4 part of the apprenticeship is suitable for those who want to gain the skills to step up into supervising day-to-day operations, take on more responsibility and have the potential to move into a role supervising staff.
See the level 3 and level 4 certificates above for a list of topics at each level.
- Duration: 28 months
- Cost: From $2,580.60
- Employers may be eligible for support via the Apprenticeship Boost - click here for more information.
For an in-depth look at the units in this programme, including credit information, click here.
Distribution Training
Learning outcomes
By the end of this programme graduates will be able to: apply health, safety and security practices to ensure own safety and minimise potential hazards for any customers and co-workers in a distribution environment, communicate with staff, managers and customers effectively, apply standard operating procedures and the code of conduct to a work role applicable to a distribution environment, receive and dispatch goods in a distribution environment, carry out store operations and inventory control in a distribution environment.
- Duration: 10 months
- Cost: $200
- Non-funded fee: $3,297.84.
For an in-depth look at the units in this programme, including credit information, click here.
Learning outcomes
By the end of this programme, graduates will be able to monitor and maintain: health, safety and security practices to ensure own safety and minimise potential hazards for any customers and co-workers in a distribution environment, interactions with staff, managers, and customers, the application of standard operating policies and procedures to work roles applicable to a distribution environment, the receipt and dispatch of goods in a distribution environment, the store operations and productivity systems in a distribution environment.
- Duration: 10 months
- Cost: $200
- Non-funded fee: $3,150.32.
For an in-depth look at the units in this programme, including credit information, click here.
Health and Safety Training
Learning Outcomes:
Apply safe work practices in own work area in a primary industry operation, describe duties, rights, representation and the regulator in terms of New Zealand health and safety legislation, apply health and safety risk assessment to a job role, demonstrate knowledge of workplace health and safety culture and practices.
- Duration: 4 months
- Cost: Zero fees
- Non-domestic/non-funded learner fee: $1,183.44.
For an in-depth look at the units in this programme, including credit information, click here.
Learning Outcomes:
Apply knowledge of legislative requirements, duties and obligations of health and safety to a job role in the workplace, apply workplace health and safety practices to contribute to health and safety in the workplace, communicate workplace health and safety practices and their wider benefits to the New Zealand workplace, apply the principles of health and safety risk assessment, including hazard identification and mitigation measures, to a job role.
- Duration: 7 months
- Cost: Zero fees
- Non-domestic/non-funded learner fee: $2,166.88.
For an in-depth look at the units in this programme, including credit information, click here.
Learning Outcomes:
Graduates will be able to: Implement, supervise, monitor, and communicate organisational and job specific health and safety requirements and practices, for a team in the workplace, utilise leadership skills to promote the benefits of good workplace health and safety practices and a proactive health and safety culture within a team, apply knowledge of health and safety risk analyses and mitigation strategies for a team in the workplace, recognise the impact of work-related ill health and injuries on a specific business operation and the wider industry.
- Duration: 7 months
- Cost: Zero fees
- Non-domestic/non-funded learner fee: $2,166.88.
For an in-depth look at the units in this programme, including credit information, click here.
Post Harvest Training
Learning Outcomes:
Post Harvest Level 3 introduces learners to operational details, such as grading and packing to specific criteria, preparing for changeovers and keeping an eye on consumables. Learners will also be able to take their pick of one of three post harvest activities - quality control, coolstore operations or laboratory technician work, learning specialist knowledge in a key area.
Graduates will be able to carry out operational tasks within post-harvest production systems.
- Duration: 12 months
- Cost: $1,460.50
- Non-domestic/non-funded learner fee: $6,790.27.
For an in-depth look at the units in this programme, including credit information, click here.
Learning Outcomes:
Post Harvest Level 4 enables learners to gain the skills and understanding to step up into supervising. Learners will be able to lead and manage a team, ensuring quality, plant health and productivity at every step. Learners will learn how to manage, inspire and guide those around them, maintaining high standards throughout the entire production process.
Graduates will be able to supervise and provide instruction to team members using a range of effective communication and interpersonal skills, implement and monitor post-harvest operations to achieve production goals, supervise and monitor the operation of post-harvest equipment, describe, implement, and monitor standards to achieve production goals.
- Duration: 14 months
- Cost: $1,695.10
- Non-domestic/non-funded learner fee: $8,623.80.
For an in-depth look at the units in this programme, including credit information, click here.
Learning Outcomes:
The New Zealand Apprenticeship in Post-Harvest is a composite level 3 and 4 programme. Graduates will be able to:
- Supervise and provide instruction to team members using a range of effective communication and interpersonal skills.
- Implement and monitor post-harvest operations to achieve goals and standards, including:
- operations and continuous improvement
- horticulture product storage life and post-harvest treatments
- post-harvest tasks
- operation of post-harvest equipment.
- Implement and monitor standards to achieve production goals, including:
- quality standards and regulatory requirements
- goals in a post-harvest workplace
- food safety procedures.
- Duration: 26 months
- Cost: $3,155.60
- Non-domestic/non-funded learner fee: $8,623.80.
For an in-depth look at the units in this programme, including credit information, click here.
This new, customisable Limited Credit Programme (LCP) allows learners and businesses to select the units they wish to cover, and can be a great introduction to training before moving along the pathway towards a full certificate or apprenticeship.
Topic areas to choose from include:
- communciation, safety and teamwork
- post-harvest operational tasks
- post-harvest technical skills
- Duration: 4 months
- Cost: From $264.50
- Non-domestic/non-funded learner fee from: $2,244.13.
For an in-depth look at the units in this programme, including credit information, click here.
Vehicle & Chainsaw Training
Looking to get yourself or your team trained to safely operate vehicles or a chainsaw? We offer practical, bite-sized courses which are perfect for onboarding new staff, upskilling seasonal workers, and maintaining safe, best-practice operations.
Operations training is available for:
Programme: Operate a Tractor - Micro-credential, Level 3
Duration: 3 months
Fee: $517.50
Non-domestic/non-funded learner fee: $1,735.73
Learning outcomes:
- identify the legal requirements for tractor use
- identify hazards, and describe control measures, and requirements for reporting accidents or near misses
- attach and detach a power take off driven 3 point linkage mounted implement
- operate a tractor on flat terrain
- describe factors that affect tractor stability and dynamics of a tractor with attached implements
- operate a tractor and power take off (PTO) driven implement.
For an in-depth look at the units in this programme, including credit information, click here.
Programme: Operate a Quadbike - Micro-credential, Level 3
Duration: 3 months
Fee: $517.50
Non-domestic/non-funded learner fee: $1,888.01
Learning outcomes:
- describe the safe operation of a quad bike
- describe quad bike riding contingency procedures
- describe the safe operation of a quad bike with trailed equipment and a mounted load
- prepare to, and ride a quad bike on flat terrain
- operate a quad bike with trailed equipment
- operate a quad bike with mounted equipment or load
- operate a quad bike on rolling terrain.
For an in-depth look at the units in this programme, including credit information, click here.
Programme: Operate a Motorcycle - Micro-credential, Level 3
Duration: 2 months
Fee: $517.50
Non-domestic/non-funded learner fee: $1,431.18
Learning outcomes:
- describe the safe operation of a motorcycle
- describe motorcycle riding contingency procedures
- describe the safe operation of a motorcycle with a mounted load
- prepare to, and ride a motorcycle on flat terrain
- operate a motorcycle with mounted equipment or load
- operate a motorcycle on rolling terrain.
For an in-depth look at the units in this programme, including credit information, click here.
Programme: Operate a Light Utility Vehicle (LUV) - Micro-credential, Level 3
Duration: 3 months
Fee: $517.50
Non-domestic/non-funded learner fee: $1,811.87
Learning outcomes:
- describe the safe operation of a LUV
- describe LUV driving contingency procedures
- describe the safe operation of a LUV with trailed equipment and a mounted load
- prepare to, and drive a LUV on flat terrain
- operate a LUV with a trailed equipment
- operate a LUV with equipment or load
- operate a LUV on rolling terrain.
For an in-depth look at the units in this programme, including credit information, click here.
Programme: Operate a light 4WD vehicle off road - Micro-credential, Level 3
Duration: 2 months
Fee: $258.75
Non-domestic/non-funded learner fee: $867.87
Learning outcomes:
- describe light 4WD features and dynamics
- describe safe operation of a light 4WD vehicle off road
- describe safe operation of a light 4WD vehicle through water
- carry out a pre-start check on a light 4WD vehicle
- operate a light 4WD vehicle off road on different terrain
- operate a light 4WD vehicle through water
- carry out an on-road use check on a light 4WD vehicle.
Programme: Operate a light 4WD vehicle on road - Micro-credential, Level 3
Duration: 2 months
Fee: $258.75
Non-domestic/non-funded learner fee: $791.73.
Learning outcomes:
- carry out a pre-start check on a light 4WD vehicle
- carry out start-up and shut-down procedures for a light 4WD vehicle
- describe light 4WD features and dynamics
- describe safe operation of a light 4WD vehicle on road
- describe safe operation of a light 4WD vehicle on road with trailed equipment
- operate a light 4WD vehicle on different on road surfaces at different speeds.
Programme: Safe Use of Chainsaws - Micro-credential, Level 2
Duration: 3 months
Fee: $517.50
Non-domestic/non-funded learner fee: $1,811.87
Learning outcomes:
- describe of the rules for chainsaw use
- describe rules relating to the transport and use of chainsaw fuel
- describe PPE and first aid requirements for chainsaw operators
- disassemble and reassemble a chainsaw, identify its components, and explain their functions
- describe the factors that influence the operation of a chainsaw
- prepare to operate a chainsaw
- start and test a chainsaw
- use a chainsaw to make cuts.
For an in-depth look at the units in this programme, including credit information, click here.
Additional Training
Learning Outcomes:
Graduates will be able to:
Assess the potential risks from horticultural production activities on freshwater values and users, and the impact on ecosystem health.
Assess on-farm biophysical and management risk factors from horticultural production systems that contribute to freshwater risks.
Recommend practices to manage biophysical and management risks factors to freshwater from horticultural production systems.
- Duration: 3 months
- Cost: $402.50
- Non-domestic/non-funded learner fee: $1,163.89.
Learning Outcomes:
Learners will develop skills to help them contribute to effective team performance, set achievable team objectives and understand which team leadership styles work within different team contexts.
The following topics will be covered:
- Leadership styles and application to the team and business context.
- Accommodating social and cultural diversity.
- Effective team performance.
- Contributing to team to achieve team objectives.
- Valuing diversity to positive performance.
- Professional and ethical behaviours.
- Effective team and stakeholder communications.
- Self-management practices that contribute to the team and business
context. - Duration: 9 months
- Cost: $690
- Non-domestic/non-funded learner fee: $2,902.75.
For an in-depth look at the units in this programme, including credit information, click here.
4098 Assessor Training
To become a Primary ITO assessor, you must hold Unit Standard 4098 – "Use standards to assess candidate performance".
To help you understand your responsibilities as a registered assessor and improve the quality of your assessments, we offer the following online 4098 training course through Primary ITO.
This Tutor-led course (comprising of two sessions) will take you through the principles of assessment followed by practical requirements for you to complete workplace assessment(s) to meet the full requirements to achieve this unit standard.
For more information, click here.
How we support you
Our Training Advisers work alongside you to achieve the best result for your business and your staff. They’ll provide expertise on learning pathways with your business needs, undertake regular visits, and for learners, they’ll plan study nights and arrange literacy and numeracy support when required.
For a quick guide to how work-based training works, check out this short explainer video.
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