ADVANCED CERTIFICATE IN APPLIED MANAGEMENT (HORTICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY) VHT001

Learn about Hydroponics plus how to manage a Hydroponics business and

Establish your management career in the hydroponics industry.

A substantial course providing a sound foundation in both hydroponics and general management practices. Designed to train people for supervisory or managerial positions in the hydroponic industry, this course concentrates on the horticulturally valuable crops, such as cut flowers and vegetables, on plant breeding; and on broad management and business skills needed to make a success of horticultural technology business.

It is written and taught by leading international experts including John Mason, author of Commercial Hydroponics (now in it's 8th printing) and Dr Lyn Morgan, author and commercial hydroponic consultant. This course is internationally accredited through I.A.R.C.

Horticultural Technology Managers Training

Designed to train people for supervisory or managerial positions in :

Hydroponic Farmers or Greenhouse Growers
Greenhouses, and Protected Cropping
Horticultural Technology Services or Products

Course Structure

Content is as follows:

*CORE STUDIES - 4 units of compulsory subjects for all students. This involves at least 400 hours.

*ELECTIVE STUDIES - stream units for the development of knowledge in a chosen specialisation or industry sector. This involves at least 300 hours of study.

*PROJECT - a "management in the workplace project" of 200 hrs involving approved work experience in a small business.The project specifically aims to provide the student with the opportunity to apply and integrate skills and knowledge developed through various areas of formal study.

CORE UNITS

Total of 400 hours. All four of these modules must be studied and passed.

1. Office practices

Develops basic office skills covering use of equipment, communication systems (telephone, fax, etc) and office procedures such as filing, security, workplace organisations, etc.

2. Business operations

Develops knowledge of basic business operations and procedures (eg. types of businesses, financial management, business analysis, staffing, productivity, etc) and the skills to develop a 12 month business plan.

3. Management

Develops knowledge of management structures, terminology, supervision, recruitment and workplace health and safety.

4. Marketing

Develops a broad understanding of marketing and specific skills in writing advertisements, undertaking market research, developing an appropriate marketing plan and selling.

STREAM STUDIES

1. HYDROPONICS I

There are ten lessons as follows:

Introduction
How a Plant Grows
Hydroponic Systems
Nutrition & Nutrition management
Plant Culture
Hydroponic Vegetable Production
Hydroponic Cut Flower Production
Solid Media vs Nutrient Film
Greenhouse Operation & Management
Special Assignment

2. HYDROPONIC MANAGEMENT (Hydroponics II)

There are eleven lessons in this module as follows:

How the Crop Plant Grows: Understanding how a plant grows in hydroponics, plant growth factors, manipulating and controlling growth, plant troubleshooting, resources, fruit set management, pollination issues, flower initiation, flower and fruit development etc.
How to Run a Small Evaluation Trial
Harvest and Post Harvest
Tomatoes
Capsicum
Lettuce, Salad Greens and Foliage Herb Crops
Cucurbits (Cucumber and Melons)
Strawberries
Roses
Carnations
Orchids

3. PROTECTED PLANT PRODUCTION

There are seven lessons in this module as follows:

Structures for Protected Cropping
Environmental Control
Cladding Materials and their Properties
Irrigation and Nutrition
Relationship between Production techniques and Horticultural practices
Harvest and Post Harvest Technology
Risk Assessment

INDUSTRY PROJECT OR WORK EXPERIENCE

This is the final requirement that you must satisfy before receiving your award.

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 (ie. 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).

Click here to view an outline of the book: Commercial Hydroponics 2nd Edition by John Mason