New Zealand Diploma in Primary Industry Business Management
Whether you’re an up-and-coming orchard supervisor looking to enhance your career, or a farm owner wanting to update your business skills, this diploma will help you effectively manage a successful primary industry business in today’s changing environment
Programme details
- Level of study: Level 5
- Modules: This diploma can be completed in a series of modules: Financial Planning and Management, Strategic Planning for Primary Industry Business, Environment and Sustainability Management, Human Resource Management (Staff Management) and Primary Industry Business Analysis and Reporting. See breakdown of modules here.
- Prerequisites: Learners must have access to a functioning primary industry business, including financial records, production data, and a property/physical environment to evaluate. Some staff management responsibilities are preferred but not essential.
- Funding: May be eligible for Government Support including Fees Free. Learn more here
Register your interest here
Use the drop-down arrows to find out more about each module of the Diploma in Primary Industry Business Management
Understand the right options for your business by speaking the same language as your financial advisor.
By the end of this module learners will be able to:
- analyse financial information and develop a financial plan
- develop and monitor annual budgets, cashflow forecasts, and determine seasonal finance requirements
- understand accounting including taxation, expenditure, valuation, accounts payable/receivable, profit and loss accounts, PAYE and GST functions of primary industry operations
- understand financial KPIs, assess sources of capital and financial risk
- prepare a finance proposal to grow (extend or diversify) a primary industry business.
Success is driven by your ability to apply a different level of thinking to decision making.
By the end of this module learners will be able to:
- determine values, vision, and set goals for future direction of a primary industry business
- evaluate business and asset ownership structures, and consider succession/exit planning options
- identify potential risks to a primary industry business and outline possible impacts
- prepare a strategic plan for a primary industry business.
Stewardship of the environment has never been more important than it is today. Learn how to balance productivity and sustainability.
By the end of this module learners will be able to:
- understand and manage physical resources such as soil, water, and waste
- interpret data and analyse limiting or enhancing effect of available physical resources
- describe management practices that enhance the sustainability of physical resources
- understand regional and district authority regulations and compliance requirements
- develop an environmental sustainability plan for a primary industry business.
Grow a team that will grow the business. Learn how to pick the right people for your business, supporting growth and improving staff retention.
By the end of this module learners will be able to:
- recruit, select, and induct of staff for primary industry businesses
- understand Employment obligations and responsibilities in accordance with relevant legislation
- develop an induction and training plan, including workload allocation, and complete an annual performance plan
- effectively build a positive team and manage conflict through increased communication and leadership skills
- develop a health, safety and wellbeing plan to meet compliance requirements.
Learners will bring together everything they've learned in their diploma studies to critically analyse their business and its future direction in this final module.
By the end of this module learners will be able to:
- analyse and interpret data relating to financial economic, environmental and social risk factors, business development and performance
- evaluate future opportunities for diversification and/or business growth
- produce and present a primary industry business report.
*All other modules are prerequisites for this module.
Don't just take our word for it! Hear from some Diploma graduates about their experience
“Because I lead the business decisions, I need to know how to manage staff and budgets. This has given me so much confidence in these areas to achieve better outcomes." Phillip Dight, Cloudy Bay Vineyards manager.
“That is money out of my pocket so I want to know what is happening, why are we doing that and what does it cost? Now I have the skills to assess that.” West Coast dairy farmer Sian Madden
“The financial, human resources and business planning learning apply to all agricultural industries equally. The only difference is that our farm is on the water and they are farming on the ground. You use the same dollars, you deal with the same people and the complexity of operations has many things in common.” NZ King Salmon Ltd Tory Channel Te Kura te Au Regional Manager, Salvador Delgado Oro Laprida.
“It has helped me to be more up to date with cash-flow and budgeting and with decisions on what to do and where to spend money in the business. It also helps you know where you are going” Scott Adams - Coatbridge Farm
Graduate outcomes
Diploma graduates will be able to:
- Develop, implement and review business plans for primary industry business operations to meet performance requirements.
- Manage financial requirements using current and emerging technology to inform decision-making in a primary industry business.
- Utilise increased interpersonal and leadership skills to plan, implement and review staff employment matters, work allocation, performance, health, safety, and well-being requirements in a primary industry business.
- Plan, implement, and review the environmental sustainability requirements of a primary industry business.
- Determine current business position and develop a strategic plan for the future direction of a primary industry business.
Not what you're looking for?
Find our other training programmes across the primary industries here.