AHC30722
Certificate III in Horticulture
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Plant yourself where your career will grow.
Qualification Description
CRICOS Course Code: 113092G
The AHC30722 Certificate III in Horticulture is aimed at giving you the fundamental horticulture skills you’ll need to build a successful career in the greenlife industry. It will provide you with the specialist skills and knowledge that are in demand by organisations who create and maintain gardens, nurseries, landscapes and large open spaces, including parks, sporting fields, playgrounds and other public spaces.
As the course allows you to specialise in open space management, it broadens your employment opportunities to include larger organisations, like governments and local councils.
Why Ironwood Institute?
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. Lisa works at Ecodynamics in propagation and is currently studying her Diploma of Horticulture Management as a trainee.
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.
Student of the Year Winner
Student of the Year Winner
Important Information
Duration
The course will be delivered in 52 weeks (one year).
Full-time study for 43 weeks and a break period of 9 weeks between 4 study terms. Each study term is approx. 11 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 7.5 hours of self-study scheduled per study week for students.
Intake Dates
15/1/2025
9/4/2025
2/7/2025
24/9/2025
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 City Council: Veale Gardens, South Terrace, Adelaide
- Adelaide Botanic Gardens:
Hackney Road, Adelaide, SA 5000 - St Laurence 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
International student applicants are required to demonstrate English language proficiency of IELTS 6.0 equivalent.
Students with IELTS 5.0 (20 weeks) or 5.5 (10 weeks) can study English for Academic Purposes (EAP) at Ironwood to meet the English requirement. For complete details please refer to entry requirements.
Material and Equipment Required
- Safety boots
- Broad-brimmed hat
- Gloves
- High visibility vest
Licensing/Regulatory Information
No occupational licensing, legislative, or certification requirements apply to this qualification at the time of publication.
Course Type
Course Structure
- Total Units 17
- Core Units 11
- Elective Units 6
Perform specialist amenity pruning (Core)
Operate pressurised irrigation systems (Core)
Control plant pests, diseases and disorders (Core)
Control weeds (Core)
Implement soil improvements for garden and turf areas (Core)
Operate machinery and equipment (Core)
Contribute to workplace health and safety processes (Core)
Apply environmentally sustainable work practices (Core)
Prepare and apply chemicals to control pest, weeds and diseases (Core)
Transport and store chemicals (Core)
Identify and select plants (Core)
Implement a plant nutrition program (Elective)
Implement a propagation plan (Elective)
Prepare growing media (Elective)
Apply biosecurity measures (Elective)
Troubleshoot irrigation systems (Elective)
Maintain nursery plants (Elective)
For further details about each unit of competency please refer to AHC30722 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 AHC30722 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, Diploma of Horticulture Management.
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:
- Horticulturist
- Gardener
(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 | $250 | $100 | $14,250 | $14, 850 |
| Student Category | Enrolment Admission (AUD) | PPE (AUD) | Tuition (AUD) | Total (AUD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| International | $500 | $250 | $14,250 | $15,000 |
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.
- 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.
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
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