FIELD                 AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES

 

Review of Horticulture qualifications

 

National Certificate in Horticulture (Introductory) (Level 2)

National Certificate in Horticulture (Level 4) with optional strands in Amenity Horticulture, Fruit Production, Landscape, Nursery Production, and Viticulture [Ref: 1014]

National Certificate in Horticulture (Advanced) (Level 4) with strands in Amenity Horticulture, Fruit Production, Landscape, Nursery Production, Production Horticulture and Viticulture [Ref: 1015]

 

The New Zealand Horticulture Industry Training Organisation (NZHITO) has completed the review of the qualifications listed above.

 

Date new versions published                                                          November 2007

 

The next qualification review is planned to take place during 2012.

 

Summary of review and consultation process

 

NZHITO, in conjunction with the Postharvest industry advisory group, has recently developed unit standards for the Postharvest sector of the horticulture industry, and packaged these standards into a strand for this sector.

 

Main changes resulting from the review

 

Amendments have been made to all of the above qualifications to take into account the development of the new strand (Postharvest); the extension to the Pest Management requirements of the qualification to include other relevant pest and weed control standards; and the removal of the Garden Retail domain from the list of classifications available as part of elective sections.

 

National Certificate in Horticulture (Introductory) (Level 2) [Ref: 1013]

 

Review category

B

See Key to Qualification Review Categories at the end of report

 

Changes to structure and content

·         This qualification was reviewed and issued as version 5 in order to remove the Garden Retail domain from the list of classifications in Set A.  Candidates currently enrolled in an earlier version of this qualification may complete that version or transfer their results to version 5.  Candidates working in a garden retail setting are encouraged to complete the National Certificate in Retail (Level 3) with optional strands in Bicycle Sales and Servicing; Garden Retailing; Visual Merchandising; Delicatessen; and Produce [Ref: 0994].

·         Amendment to the qualifications pathway diagram to reflect the changes made following the review of the level 4 qualifications.

 

National Certificate in Horticulture (Level 4) with optional strands in Amenity Horticulture, Fruit Production, Landscape, Nursery Production, Postharvest, and Viticulture [Ref: 1014]

 

Review category

B

See Key to Qualification Review Categories at the end of report

 

Changes to structure and content

·         Addition of the Postharvest strand

·         Clarification of credit transfer provisions to allow up to 45 credits from each qualification specified.

·         Removal of the Garden Retail domain from the list of domains in the Horticulture elective and in the domains listed for the Nursery Production strand.  Candidates currently enrolled in an earlier version of this qualification may complete that version or transfer their results to version 6.  Candidates working in a garden retail setting are encouraged to complete the National Certificate in Retail (Level 3) with optional strands in Bicycle Sales and Servicing; Garden Retailing; Visual Merchandising; Delicatessen; and Produce [Ref: 0994].

 

National Certificate in Horticulture (Advanced) (Level 4) with strands in Amenity Horticulture, Fruit Production, Landscape, Nursery Production, Postharvest, Production Horticulture and Viticulture [Ref: 1015]

 

Review category

B

See Key to Qualification Review Categories at the end of report

 

Changes to structure and content

·         Addition of the Postharvest strand

·         Clarification of credit transfer provisions to allow up to 60 credits from each qualification specified.

·         Removal of the Garden Retail domain from the list of domains in the Horticulture elective, and domains listed for the Nursery Production strand.  Candidates currently enrolled in an earlier version of this qualification may complete that version or transfer their results to version 6.  Candidates working in a garden retail setting are encouraged to complete the National Certificate in Retail (Level 3) with optional strands in Bicycle Sales and Servicing; Garden Retailing; Visual Merchandising; Delicatessen; and Produce [Ref: 0994].

·         Extension of the Pest Management requirements of the qualification to include other relevant pest and weed control standards.

·         Amendment to the qualifications pathway diagram to reflect the changes made following the review of the level 4 qualifications.

 

Appeals

 

NZHITO intends that no existing candidate is disadvantaged by changes to these qualifications. Any person who feels that they have been disadvantaged should contact:

 

New Zealand Horticulture Industry Training Organisation

PO Box 8638

CHRISTCHURCH

 

Telephone:    03 9644 735

Facsimile:      03 9644 737

 

Key to Qualification Review Categories

 

Category A

The qualification is published as a new version with the same NQF ID

Changes are made to SSB name, contact details or purpose statement

No change is made to title, rules or components of the qualification

No transition arrangements are required

Category B

The qualification is published as a new version with the same NQF ID

Changes are made to title, rules or components

The new version of the qualification recognises a similar skill set to that recognised by the previous version

The SSB is confident that people awarded the new or previous version are comparable in terms of competence

Transition arrangements are required if candidates must gain additional/different credits for the new version

Category C

A new (replacement) qualification is published with new NQF ID

Significant changes are made to the qualification in terms of components, structure, type or level

The SSB views people with the replacement qualification as being significantly different in terms of competence from those with the replaced qualification

Transition arrangements are required

Transition may be limited to phase-out dates

Category D

Qualification will expire.

There is no replacement qualification

Qualification is no longer required by industry

The qualification is designated as expiring and a last date for meeting the qualification requirements is set