CERTIFICATE IN HYDROPONICS

Set Yourself Up for Success in Hydroponics

Duration: 600 hours (approximately)

General Objectives:

1. Provide a sound basis of knowledge in horticultural principles as they apply to the culture, use and management of plants in various production situations.

2. Provide new and existing employees who are unable to undertake on campus training with the opportunity to gain appropriate knowledge in the field of plant culture, use and management.

3. Prepare employees for supervisory and managerial positions in the field of plant culture, use and management.

4. Provide horticultural business owner/operators (or those contemplating ownership) with appropriate training to apply technical skills to the management of the physical, financial and human resources in which they have made, or will make, a substantial investment.

5. Provide an understanding of modern technology and its application to growing plants, with emphasis being placed on hydroponics production of commercially valuable plants.

Course structure

This subject has 30 lessons, each requiring about 15 hours of study:

1. Introduction to Hydroponic Technology

2. Plant Growth Requirements - Light , artificial light, light balancers

3. Plant Growth Requirements ...Nuttrition, nutrient requirements, deficiencies, toxicities, pH, conductivity, salinity, growth regulators

4. Plant Growth Requirements... Temperature

5. Hydroponic Growing Systems ... basic concepts and designs, site considerations.

6. Growing Media ... types, properties, uses.

7. Hydroponic Nutrient Solutions... nutrient formulae, preparing solutions.

8. Hydroponic Equipment ... componentry, nutrient delivery, pumping, testing

9. Growing Structures ... Design and Construction ‑ types

10. Environmental Control A ... Heating, Cooling

11. Environmental Control B ... Lighting, Shading.

12. Environmental Control C ... Carbon Dioxide Enrichment

13. Plant Culture In Hydroponics A... trellising, pruning, pollination, transplanting.

14. Plant Culture In Hydroponics B

15. Aggregate Culture

16. Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) Culture

17. Rockwool Culture

18. Other Techniques ...wick systems, flood & drain, bag culture, aeroponics, etc.

19. Irrigation ... Soil Requirements

20. Irrigation Systems

21. Plant Propagation ... seed & cutting propagation & tissue culture

22. Market Gardening ...Cut Flowers

23. Market Gardening ... Vegetables

24. Other Plants In Hydroponics ...herbs, grasses, indoor plants

25. Pest and Diseases - dentifying the problem, pests and diseases in hydroponics

26. Weeds ... identification and control

27. Managing A Commercial Hydroponics Farm ... crop scheduling & selection standards

28. Management ... Organisation and Supervision

29. Marketing ... Promotion and Selling

30. Special Project -Prepare a detailed report of at least 2,000 words, plus photos or diagrams, on a particular aspect of technology which you have studied that significantly assists growing.)

HOW DOES STUDY GET YOU WORK?

Although doing a course may not guarantee you work – it will set you apart from those that have not studied at all and it will improve your personal choices when applying for jobs or give you and your clients more confidence in you are looking to set up your own business.

When it comes to applying for jobs - each job listed usually gets a huge amount of response, when employers choose people to interview they will look at a range of factors, what you have studied will be just one of those factors. You need to be able to catch a potential employer’s attention and stand out from the rest.

So what do you need?

• Great communication skills: verbal, written and also the ability to use a computer. Whenever we are offering people a service (such as personal training for example) they are looking for someone with a professional approach and who instils a feeling of confidence.
• Problem solving skills: no matter what profession you work in you need to be able to problem solve – in personal training this is important so that you can construct programs to suit each individual. ACS courses are based on developing problem solving skills and you do this through your set tasks and assignments throughout the course.
• Knowledge and skills demanded of the job. In any job that involves people’s health and fitness you must know what you are doing – this is something you cannot do without the correct skills and knowledge and the only way to get this is by undertaking a course and gaining personal experience.
• A passion for the work and willingness to learn.
• Presentation and grooming - people who present as being well organised and well-groomed will impress.

How Will A Course Help Me To Gain those Skills?

Choosing the right course will help i.e. one that develops knowledge, practical and also your problem solving skills. Not all courses do this. At ACS our courses focus on Problem Based Learning so this enables the student to develop these skills and at the same time using this learning method also improves you knowledge retention and recall.

What Can You do to Improve Your Career Prospects?

• Choose a course that you are passionate about – be open to learning and use this course to start building your future. Today we are expected to keep learning and studying in order to keep up with a world that is rapidly changing. Learning is a lifelong experience. Study a course that makes you stand out - a qualification that is different to all the other applicants will always catch the attention of a boss, and may be the difference between getting an interview or not.
• Network with people in the industry, attend conferences and trade shows – make yourself known to people in the industry in general.
• Try to build a range of skills – multi-skilled people catch the eye of the employer or potential employer.
• Write a good CV and ask for help if you need it. Tutors at this school will help our students with their C.V.'s if you ask -no cost. Resume Writing services can also be used, but they charge.
• Recognise your weaknesses and work on improving them - not just academically. And also know your strengths and demonstrate them.