Revision of Horticulture qualifications

FIELD AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES

Revision of Horticulture qualifications

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

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

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

Date new versions published February 2011

The next qualification review is planned to take place during 2015.

Reason for the revision

These qualifications were revised to include standards, in the Amenity Horticulture strands of both qualifications, relevant for people working and training in the amenity sector. Consultation was undertaken with stakeholders, including the Amenity Advisory Group.

The revision also included the addition of standards to the Outdoor Production Elective of the Vegetable Production strands for both qualifications. These standards were inadvertently omitted in the first publication of the strands (versions 7 of both qualifications). The Plant Pest, Weed, and Disease Control domain was added to the Pest Management Elective of the Advanced qualification (Ref: 1015).

Main changes resulting from the revision

Changes to structure and content

· standards 2765, 2766, 2772, 17269, 20429, 20838, 22209, 25399, 25401 and 25404 were added to the Amenity Horticulture Optional Strand

· standards 19061, 24538 and 24539 were added to the Vegetable Production Optional Strand Elective A: Outdoor Production

· the qualifications pathway diagram was amended to reflect the changes made following the review and revision of other Horticulture qualifications

· exemptions for standards added to this version of the qualification were included.

Transition

People currently working towards versions 5 or 6 of the National Certificate in Horticulture (Level 4) with optional strands in Amenity Horticulture, Fruit Production, Landscape, Nursery Production, Postharvest, Viticulture, and Vegetable Production [Ref: 1014], may either complete the requirements of that version by December 2013, or transfer their results to version 8. The last date for assessments to take place for versions 5 and 6 of this qualification is 31 December 2013.

For exemptions see table below.

Changes to structure and content

· the Plant Pest, Weed, and Disease Control domain was added to the Pest Management Elective

· standards 2765, 2766, 2772, 17269, 20429, 20838, 22209, 25399, 25401 and 25404 were added to the Amenity Horticulture Elective of the Amenity Horticulture Strand

· standards 19061, 24538 and 24539 were added to the Vegetable Production Strand Elective Set A: Outdoor Production

· exemptions for standards added to this version of the qualification were included.

Transition

People currently working towards versions 5 or 6 of the National Certificate in Horticulture (Advanced) (Level 4) with strands in Amenity Horticulture, Fruit Production, Landscape, Nursery Production, Postharvest, Production Horticulture, Viticulture, and Vegetable Production [Ref: 1015], may either complete the requirements of that version by December 2015, or transfer their results to version 8. The last date for assessments to take place for versions 5 and 6 of this qualification is 31 December 2015.

These qualifications contain standards that replace earlier standards. For the purposes of these qualifications, people who have gained credit for the expiring standards are exempt from the requirement to gain credit for the replacement standards - see table below.

Credit for	Exempt from
1024	22209
1594	17269
17260	25399, 25401
2770, 2819	25404

These qualifications contain a classification that replaces an earlier classification. For the purposes of these qualifications, people who have gained credit for standards in the lapsed classification may continue to use those credits to meet the qualification requirements - see table below.

Standards from	Are treated as Standards from
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries > Horticulture > Organic Horticulture	Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries > Horticulture > Production Horticulture

NZHITO intends that no existing candidate be disadvantaged by the revision of these qualifications. Any person who feels that they have been disadvantaged by these transition arrangements should contact NZHITO at the address below.

New Zealand Horticulture Industry Training Organisation

PO Box 8638

Riccarton

Christchurch 8440

Telephone 03 964 4735

Email mike@hortito.org.nz

Website http://www.hortito.org.nz/