Specialise in an area of horticulture of your own choice
This Specialist Award is for people who already have some related qualifications or experience in horticulture, and seek to supplement their existing skills and gain an industry
specific qualification that enhances their employability and capacity to
work in a specialised area of horticulture.
You select and study three short courses of your choice which relate to each other (e.g. three crops or three
landscaping short courses). In addition, you must complete 200 hrs of
approved work experience before receiving the award. Approval of course
structure must be obtained before enrolling.
Work Experience
There are two options available to you to satisfy this requirement:
Alternative 1
If you work in the industry that you
have been studying; you may submit a reference from your employer, in an
effort to satisfy this industry (ie. workplace project) requirement; on
the basis of RPL (i.e. recognition for prior learning), achieved through
your current and past work experience.
The reference must indicate that you have skills and an awareness of your industry, which is sufficient for you to work in a position of responsibility.
Alternative 2
If you do not work in the relevant industry, you need to undertake a project as follows.
Procedure for a Workplace Project
This project is a major part of the
course involving the number of hours relevant to the course (see above).
Although the course does not contain mandatory work requirements, work
experience is seen as highly desirable.
This project is based on applications in
the work place and specifically aims to provide the student with the
opportunity to apply and integrate skills and knowledge developed
through various areas of formal study.
Students will design this project in
consultation with a tutor to involve industry based activities in the
area of specialized study which they select to follow in the course. The
project outcomes may take the form of a written report, folio, visuals
or a mixture of forms. Participants with relevant, current or past work
experience will be given exemption from this project if they can provide
suitable references from employers that show they have already
fulfilled the requirements of this project.
For courses that involve more than 100
hours, more than one workplace project topic may be selected. For
example, 200 hours may be split into two projects each of 100 hours.
This will offer the student better scope to fulfill the needs of their
course and to meet the number of hours required. Alternatively, the
student may wish to do one large project with a duration of 200 hours.
Students will be assessed on how well
they achieve the goals and outcomes they originally set as part of their
negotiations with their tutor. During each 100 hours of the project,
the students will present three short progress reports. These progress
reports will be taken into account when evaluating the final submission.
The tutor must be satisfied that the work submitted is original.
If the
student wishes to do one large 200 hour report, then only three
progressive reports will be needed (however the length of each report
will be longer).
On completion of the course.
You will have expanded your knowledge and skills in an area of horticulture you have not previously studied. You may have chosen to diversify into growing cut flowers, arboriculture, or permaculture, the choice is yours in this 500 hour course.
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