Certificate II in Horticulture AHC20416

This course is perfect for organic, or home gardeners and sole traders, including Handypersons, Landscapers and Gardeners who want to develop their horticulture knowledge skills.

If you are an existing worker or have experience in the related industry, please inform our enrolment consultants during your enrolment conversation. You may be eligible to enrol as an existing worker and complete your studies faster. Please note - limitations do apply.

• How to recognise plants, prepare plant specimens and provide information on products and services.
• The fundamentals of planting, potting and maintaining trees, shrubs and plants.
• Soil testing and how to treat weeds, pests and diseases
• How to work effectively in the industry and Work Health and Safety practices.

You’ll then choose one of three electives to develop your knowledge in a specialist area:

• In the Nursery elective you’ll discover how to maintain nursery plants, pot up plants and participate in environmentally sustainable work practices.
• The Parks and Gardens elective will teach you how to operate basic machinery, support turf establishment and maintain properties and structures.
• If you choose the Landscaping elective, you’ll learn how to operate basic machinery, lay paving and assist with landscape construction.

Students aren’t expected to complete a work placement for this course but are encouraged to demonstrate their skills in their own garden environment (e.g. own garden, community garden, etc.).

Course trainers

The duration for the course is maximum 18 months. As a self-paced online course, the time it will take you to complete is flexible and dependent on ability and time available.

Education

There are no formal education entry requirements for this course.

Minimum age

You will need to be at least 16 years old. If you are under 18 your enrolment form will need to be signed by a parent or guardian or require guardian/parental consent.

English

This course involves reading and undertaking a range of written assessments, as well as engaging in online forums and discussions. Furthermore, the delivery mode relies on the extensive use of written communication. As such, entry to the course requires the successful completion of English to Year 10 level.

If you haven't successfully completed English at Year 10 level, you can demonstrate equivalency through one of the following:

• Successful completion of a Nationally Recognised Training qualification at Certificate II level or higher; or
• 2 years relevant industry experience in a role that requires the use of written documentation and communication

Open Colleges recognises that not all people are able to read, write and perform calculations to the same standard. See the Language, Literacy and Numeracy Considerations section for more information on tools, resources and support services provided to you by Open Colleges.

Computing

Access to others

This course includes a requirement to record video and/ or audio roleplays. These will require participation by 1-2 other people sourced by you.

Tools and equipment

You will need to purchase specific tools and equipment for this course. Click here to view the complete list of materials, equipment and tools required for this course. IT Requirements It is recommended that students have the following hardware and additional software:

• Operating System:
• Processor: 2 GHz or faster, 2-core
• Memory: 8GB of RAM or higher z916GB recommended)
• Hard Drive: Space 2 GB free disk space
• Browser: Chrome is the preferred browser for students
• Windows users:
• Microsoft Windows 7 or higher (Windows 10 recommended)
• 1 Ghz or faster processer (2GHz recommended)
• Software:
• Internet Connection: DSL, Cable, or Satellite with at least 2mbps upload speed Note: it is strongly recommended that you have access to the Internet from home. Expecting to access your course from your work internet or a public network like a library or coffee shop may be impractical due to your average weekly study hours.
• Printer/Scanner: Access to printing/scanning devices or facilities may be required for certain course activities
• Peripherals:
• E-Mail Capability: Access to e-mail through an e-mail program or web-based e-mail system (e.g., Gmail, Hotmail, Mail for Android or Mail for iOS apps)

Workplace projects

You will need to have access to a workplace, or workplaces, in which you can complete your projects and presentations (video demonstrations). Your workplace must be approved by Open Colleges as a suitable and safe environment. The workplace supervisor verifies the activity and you as the student, but does not assess your competence. The projects and presentations are evaluated by an Open Colleges assessor, who will judge competency based on the written and visual evidence you submit online.

You can find more information about the workplace projects here. 

Equipment and tools

You will need to purchase specific tools and equipment for this course. Click here to view the complete list of materials, equipment and tools required for this course.

Skills

To successfully complete this course, you will require basic computing skills. This includes:

• Creating, saving and editing Microsoft Office documents.
• Accessing and searching the internet.
• Downloading and saving documents from websites.
• Uploading documents through websites.
• Participating in online discussions.
• Compressing image files.
• Connecting digital cameras and downloading and storing images.

Audio visual requirements

• You will need access to software to view online videos and images. Software such as Adobe Reader, Windows Media Player, Windows Photo Viewer etc. are available as a free download from the internet. 
• You'll also need access to a digital video recording device and/or digital camera and associated software to save and upload video and image files to OpenSpace. Many mobile phones and smart phones include this technology. 

Physical requirements

Physical requirements for this course include manual dexterity (use of tools and equipment), as well as the ability to lift and carry equipment, in order to meet performance criteria and achieve a competent result. Learners are required to be fully able bodied for tasks such as digging.

Other technology requirements

• Office equipment and resources including telephone, photocopier, scanner and printer.

Video assessments

As part of the assessment for some units, you will be required to produce a video of yourself performing certain tasks. Some of these videos may involve another person.