AHC30716

Certificate III in Horticulture

Plant yourself where your career will grow.

Qualification Description

CRICOS Course Code: 092542G

This qualification provides a general vocational outcome in amenity horticulture. Certificate III in Horticulture includes classroom and practical training and assessment to develop skills and knowledge in crop/plant selection, cultivation, management of soil, irrigation, fertilizers, weeds, control of pests and diseases, handling of chemicals, and work health and safety procedures (WHS).

Why Ironwood Institute?

Ironwood Institute has been delivering quality Horticulture training since 2009. It provides state-of the-art training facilities in the heart of Adelaide’s CBD with access to practical sites at the Adelaide Botanic Gardens and Adelaide City Council Parks and Nurseries.

Outstanding Achievements

Ironwood students have won the prestigious South Australian Horticulture Student of the Year Award for 2022 and 2023.

Lisa Agars, the 2023 winner, is currently studying Certificate III in Horticulture at Ironwood Institute and has already progressed to the position of Propagation Manager with Lewis Horticulture, a leading horticulture company at Riverlea Park.

Zoe Hsu, the 2022 winner, graduated with the Certificate III and Diploma of Horticulture and is currently working as a senior nursery person at Poplar Grove, a leading wholesale nursery at Sellicks Beach.

Important Information

Duration

The course will be delivered in 52 weeks (one year).

Full-time study for 40 weeks and a break period of 12 weeks between 4 study terms. Each study term is approx. 10 weeks long.

The scheduled contact study per week is 20 hours.

The classes are scheduled per study week for two full days (9 am to 5 pm) and the third half-day (either 9 am to 1 pm or 1 pm to 5 pm).

There are also additional 10 hours of self-study scheduled per study week for students.

Intake Dates

11/01/2023
05/04/2023
28/06/2023
20/09/2023

AQF Level

Pre-requisites

Nil

Mode of Delivery

Face to Face.

Location of Delivery

Classroom site:

Ironwood Institute: Level 3, 112-118 Rundle Mall, Adelaide SA 5000

Practical site:

Adelaide City Council Nursery: War Memorial Dr, North Adelaide SA 5006
Adelaide Plant Growers: 594 States Road, Onkaparinga Hills SA 5163
St Laurences Priory: 134 Buxton Street, North Adelaide SA 5006

The Institute does not provide transportation to sites and it is student’s responsibility to get there on time on practical training days either on bus or at their own transport medium.

Entry Requirements

Applicants must have completed Australian year 12 or equivalent overseas qualifications and be 18 years or older at the time of commencement.

Overseas applicants are required to demonstrate English language proficiency of IELTS 5.5 equivalent.

For complete details please refer to entry requirements.

Material and Equipment Required

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is compulsory for this course. Following are the PPE items:

Safety boots
Broad-brimmed hat
Garden gloves
High visibility jacket
High visibility cotton drill shirt
Cotton drill cargo trousers
Safety Goggles
Secateurs

Students can purchase through Ironwood Institute at the cost of AUD 373.00 or can make the items available at their own cost before course commencement.

Licensing/Regulatory Information

No occupational licensing, legislative, or certification requirements apply to this qualification at the time of publication.

Course Type

Agriculture, Horticulture and Conservation and Land Management Training Package Qualification

Course Structure

Total Units 16
Core Units 5
Elective Units 11

AHCWHS301

Contribute to work health and safety processes (Core)

AHCPCM302

Provide information on plants and their culture (Core)

AHCPMG301

Control weeds (Core)

AHCPMG302

Control plant pests, diseases and disorders (Core)

AHCSOL303

Implement soil improvements for garden and turf areas (Core)

AHCSOL301

Prepare growing media (Elective)

AHCCHM304

Transport and store chemicals (Elective)

AHCCHM303

Prepare and apply chemicals (Elective)

AHCIRG306

Troubleshoot irrigation systems (Elective)

AHCNSY301

Maintain nursery plants (Elective)

AHCBIO305

Apply Biosecurity measures (Elective)

AHCNSY306

Implement a propagation plan (Elective)

AHCPCM301

Implement a plant nutrition program (Elective)

AHCNSY305

Prepare specialised plants (Elective)

AHCWRK309

Apply environmentally sustainable work practices (Elective)

AHCPGD303

Perform specialist amenity pruning (Elective)

For further details about each unit of competency please refer to AHC30716 Certificate III in Horticulture.

Assessment Methods

Assessment methods include but are not limited to:

Role Plays
Observation/Demonstration of Practical Skills
Case Studies
Written Reports
Presentations
Interview/Oral questions
Written Tests

Qualification

On successful completion of this course, you will be awarded AHC30716 Certificate III in Horticulture. Students who successfully complete only one or more units of competency within this Qualification will receive a Statement of Attainment. (By enrolling in this course, Ironwood Institute does not guarantee a learner will successfully complete and receive the qualification).

Qualification Pathways

Certificate III in Landscape Construction, Certificate III in Arboriculture, Certificate IV in Horticulture, Certificate IV in Sports Turf Management, Certificate IV in Parks and Gardens, Certificate IV in Production Nursery, Diploma of Horticulture.

Employment Opportunities

Job roles and titles vary across different industry sectors. For those with appropriate work experience, knowledge, and skills gained from this Certificate III can help the candidate to take on the following roles which include but not limited to:

(Ironwood Institute does not guarantee an employment outcome, licence, or accreditation at the completion of this qualification).

Work-based Training

Not applicable

Work Placement

Not applicable

Fees

Ironwood Institute will charge the learner for the enrolment application, tuition, material fees, and training product as per the nominated fee schedules as outlined below;

Fee Type	Administration (AUD)	Learning Resources (AUD)	PPE (AUD)	Tuition (AUD)	Total (AUD)
Full fee	$250	$350	$373	$9,973	$10,946

Initial deposit – 50% of tuition for offshore students and 25% of tuition for onshore students plus administration and learning resources.

Students are encouraged to contact the Institute for current specials and to apply for scholarships.

Why Study Horticulture in Adelaide, South Australia

Recognised for its excellence in environmentally clean, safe, and advanced production making Adelaide a key horticulture destination. Ironwood’s horticulture program allows our students to gain the skills and knowledge to become job ready in all sorts of horticultural positions.

read

South Australia is a major producer of premium horticulture.
Technologically advanced and sustainable horticulture is a key focus in South Australia.
Number one in protected cropping in Australia, with more than 700 hectares of greenhouses with a high number of professional, vertically integrated businesses across the supply chain
Australia’s number one producer of onions and potatoes
Home to Australia’s National Almond Centre of Excellence
Home to the world-leading national Sterile Insect Technology facility
The Northern Adelaide Plains (NAP) is a key horticulture region of South Australia that lies immediately north of the Adelaide metropolitan area. The NAP produces approximately 198,000 tonnes of fresh produce, generating around 20% of the state’s horticulture production by volume and 33% by value, with a farm gate value of $317 million. The area is renowned for growing premium quality vegetables including tomatoes, cucumbers, capsicums, onions and potatoes. The region employs almost half of SA’s vegetable industry workers including job roles involving :
- broad-acre field vegetable cropping
- tree orchards
- high-technology climate controlled hydroponic systems and
- medium and low-technology poly and shade houses.

For more information visit https://www.northernadelaideplains.com.au/about

Adelaide is Australia’s 1st National Park City and the 2nd globally after London.

South Australia is a global leader in the production of premium, environmentally clean, safe and advanced horticultural crops

Horticulture in South Australia

Hear from Ironwood Students

Felix
Diploma of Horticulture

Heena
Adelaide Plant Growers

Marcelo Guerra
SA Mushrooms

Gurtej Singh
Adelaide Plant Growers

Hear from Horticulture Employers

Nick Femia
SA Mushrooms

Troy Topp
Perfection Fresh

Chris
Owner of Adelaide Plant Grows

Hear from Industry Peak Bodies

Dannielle Chapman
Executive Officer of the NGISA

Mark Cody
Primary Industries Skills Council of SA

Jordan Brooke-Barnett
AusVeg SA

Joy de Leo
ACPET

Grant Dalwood
Nursery & Garden Association SA

Karyn Kent
Study Adelaide

Learn more about the opportunities in Horticulture Industry

AUSVEG has created several deep dive videos that look into some of the obscure but vital roles in the industry. These videos show the daily tasks, responsibilities, and pathways within the Production Horticulture sector.

Further Information

Consumer Protection

The ESOS legislation provides consumer protection to the enrolled students at Ironwood Institute. The written agreement, and the right to make complaints and seek appeals of decisions and action under various processes, does not affect the rights of the student to take action under the Australian Consumer Law if the Australian Consumer Law applies.

Overseas Students Health Cover

It is a condition of student visas that international students and accompanying dependents must hold valid Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the entire duration of their study in Australia. The OSHC rate will vary depending on the personal circumstances and duration of stay in Australia. OSHC is a private health care arrangement, equivalent to Australia’s Medicare system, which helps cover the costs of medical treatments in and out of hospital, should you get sick or have an accident. Ironwood Institute recommends OSHC provider Australian Health Management (AHM). However, this recommendation does not restrict you from obtaining OSHC from a provider of your choice. A list of approved providers can be found on the Department of Health and Aging website.

Ready to Apply?

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