Foundation Trades in Horticulture

Community Development Courses

• If you don’t have the required academic qualifications to study a programme you're interested in? Don't let this stop you! We have lots of options that act as a stepping stone to the programme of your choice.

• This is an exciting opportunity for our Natural Sciences Department to contribute to bridging and foundation studies at Otago Polytechnic.The students enrolled in this course will be involved in learning activities lead by experts so they can get a taste of what horticulture has to offer as a career move.

NZ Certificate in Land Skills

• A place to start if you want to work in farming, horticulture, agriculture, conservation or other outdoor-related areas. You'll take part in practical workshops, volunteer in your community and do 150 hours of work. At the same time you'll build employability and study skills and get clarity on your next step.

New Zealand Certificate in Study and Career Preparation (Level 3)

• This programme offers you the chance to improve your study skills and prepare for higher level learning. It includes either a general study context or a work context. Along with improving your reading, writing, presenting and computer skills, you will also gain valuable employability skills such as CV and interview preparation, and how to write a cover letter. Depending on the course you choose, this programme offers work experience opportunities.

FarmHand

• Love the outdoors and practical work? This 17-week, Dunedin-based scheme for 16-25 year olds is run in partnership with the Malcam Charitable Trust and is a stepping stone into education and employment in the primary sector industry. You will take part in a work placement, improve your study skills, gain an Otago Polytechnic certificate qualification and learn how to put together a great CV!

Course Schedule 2018

Session 1

To do

1. Meet Kim at Polygrow Nursery
2. Welcome, attendance and Icebreaker
3. Tour of permaculture garden-Permagrow
4. Health and Safety is Everbody's Business

• What are some hazards associated with horticulture and how do we manage them?
• Manual handling
• SUNSMART
• Hazards associated with potting medias
• Wear clothing that can get dirty and appropriate footwear to protect your feet
• Focus on the job at hand
• Be aware of the emergency flip chart and we will see what are some of the things we would do in the unlikely case of an emergency.Know where the assembly point is located.
• Otago Polytechnic has a hazard register for every department and it is important for staff and students to be aware of the potential hazards associated with the teaching and learning in your area.If you identify a hazard please let a staff member know as soon as is possible.

Skills Learned

1. Health and safety
2. Orientation/tour around L block and what is available in your learning space
3. The LIVING CAMPUS
4. Growing Pikao
5. Make up a brew of compost tea and discuss benefits to plants
6. Seed sowing

• What are the characteristics of a good seed raising mix?
• Make our own seed raising mix

Session 2

To do

1. Welcome and attendance/ Icebreaker
2. The following list is hands on stuff that may do today:
3. Health n Safety

• Health and Safety is Everbody's Business -what does this mean?
• What are some hazards associated with our work in the nursery area?.

• Protection from the sun.

• Hazards associated with potting medias.

• Wear appropriate footwear to protect your feet and any other PPE provided for specific activities.

• Focus on the job at hand.

• Slips, trips and falls are one of the most common cause of injuries for workers and injuries can happen in a number of ways -can you see any risks in the nursery or potting shed that could be eliminated?.

• Stress and fatigue-if you are not feeling a hundy let us know and we can help.

• Otago Polytechnic has a hazard register for every department and it is important for staff and students to be aware of the potential hazards associated with the teaching and learning in your area.If you identify a hazard please let a staff member know as soon as is possible.

• Container planting-Students will select/go shopping for edible plants and/or herbs and create a container of plants to take home.

• Students will enjoy a break with a Tea Party and something to eat. We will sample store bought herbal teas and some herbs from our Living Campus edible gardens which will include sampling lemon balm tea

• Creating photographs of plants using a photographic printing process that produces a cyan-blue print. Engineers used the process well into the 20th century as a simple and low-cost process to produce copies of drawings, referred to as blueprints. The process uses two chemicals: ferric ammonium citrate and potassium ferricyanide.We will also discuss Anna Atkins and the connection she has to the activity we are doing today.Anna Atkins (16 March 1799 – 9 June 1871) was an English botanist and photographer. She is often considered the first person to publish a book illustrated with photographic images.

• Students will be shown how to create some jewellery using cyanotypes.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Anna_Atkins_algae_cyanotype.jpg

Resources

Interesting links,videos and photos related to our sessions-please let Kim know of interesting stuff you find that we can add to this section!

• Allergies to plant material and food can be quite common but check out the ten most bizarre allergies!