Certificate II in Horticulture AHC20422

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

• How to recognise plants
• Participate in workplace health and safety processes
• Assist with soil or growing media sampling and testing
• Plant trees and shrubs
• Treat weeds
• Treat plant pests, diseases and disorders
• Participate in environmentally sustainable work practices
• Operate basic machinery and equipment
• Collect, prepare, and preserve plant specimens
• Undertake propagation activities
• Pot up plants
• Maintain indoor plants
• Prune shrubs and small trees
• Provide information on products and services

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.

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. 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: Speakers or headset for audio playback, microphone for audio recording, webcam or equivalent (such as a smartphone with video recording capability)
• Email Capability: Access to email 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

Most of the units of competency include physical requirements, they encompass the need for individuals to maintain physical stamina and endurance for prolonged standing, bending, and movement essential in garden and nursery work. Students need to have the capability to lift and handle moderately heavy items up to 20kg such as gardening tools, pots, and bags of soil is essential, along with the ability to
work outdoors in varying weather conditions. Students should be comfortable
moving across different terrains and surfaces commonly found in garden
environments.

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.

• By undertaking a work placement you’ll get a chance to put the knowledge you’ve learned on your course into practice.
• You’ll also develop practical, on-the-job skills and could make contacts that could help you find a job once you graduate.
• Work placement is often the most rewarding part of a student’s course. Working face-to-face with clients and colleagues in your chosen field makes a huge difference to your career confidence.

You’ll need to find a work placement yourself and ensure it’s approved by Open Colleges. When looking for a suitable work placement host organisation, have a think about the following:

• Are you already working or volunteering in the industry your course is related to? You could potentially do your work placement at your current place of work or have contacts that could recommend a suitable work place. Ask around!
• If you’re entering a new industry, do some research and start thinking about organisations you could approach. We have plenty of resources available to help with approaching and finding a suitable work placement organisation.

All costs of work placement, including any placement fees charged by the host organisation (whether to the student or Open Colleges), cost of statutory checks and vaccinations, travel, accommodation, and uniforms are the responsibility of the student. These fees will vary and are dependent on your location within Australia.

• Costs for statutory checks will range between $50 - $250 dependent on the type of check you select and your state.
• Costs for vaccinations will very between practitioners, please refer to your GP for approximate costs.
• Placement fees will vary, please discuss this with your intended host organisation for approximate costs.

Students who are not currently employed at an appropriate workplace are required to find a host organisation to undertake Work Placement. Depending on the nature of the individual workplace, the student may need to undertake this at more than one organisation.   

While undertaking training and assessment in industry, the student must abide by the policies and procedures of the workplace.  

The Supervisor and organisation needs to be able to provide the student with access to equipment and resources necessary to undertake roleplays and projects. 

Students will need to complete a Work Placement permission form which will be approved or rejected by the CSM (EM) based on its suitability for the course projects. 

The Host Organisation needs to be able to provide the student with access to equipment and resources necessary to undertake roleplays and projects.  

Students may require multiple Work Placements to complete projects. Examples of suitable Host Organisations, not limited to: 

• Botanical gardens 
• Plant nurseries 
• Horticultural research centres 
• Commercial landscaping companies or Businesses 
• Public gardens or parks 
• Wholesale or retail plant nurseries inc. Garden centres 
• Golf courses, sports fields 
• Propagation houses 
• Organic farms 
• Eco-friendly landscapers 

Please note that your host organisation may require you to provide an up to date immunisation history prior to the commencement of your work placement. Open Colleges has no control over this requirement so if you are unable to provide this, you will need to discuss it with your intended Host Organisation.

It should also be noted that some immunisations, such as Hepatitis B and COVID-19, need multiple injections to be administered over a specific time period before you are deemed immune. It is important that you consult with your GP as soon as possible to avoid delays in starting your work placement.