New Zealand Certificate in Horticulture (General) (Level 3)

Ari Schwarz - Horticulture

“Last year I was close to burnout in my eleventh year in a corporate office living in Mt Maunganui. I turned 30 and decided it was time to move home to Whangarei and start afresh doing something that I wanted and living a more sustainable lifestyle. When both my parents got sick, it tipped the balance and the journey since then to sell up and move has happened fast. My rent is now a quarter of what it was and my outgoings are tiny.”

“This course is giving me the confidence to know I can have my own business and it has opened my mind to ways I can work for myself. Because the classes are three days week 9-3pm, I can use the rest of the time to implement what I learn on the property that is now my home.”

“I’ll may study Sustainable Rural Development when I finish this course and that will help with setting up my own business. The possibilities are exciting.”

“The bigger picture for me is to create an ideal lifestyle being as self-sufficient and organic as possible in a natural more relaxed environment. Anyone doing this course for work may not be expecting the impact it can have on your life. I’ve found it opens up a greater perspective and takes you on a journey of self-growth and discovery. I love it.” 

Iwi - Ngati Wai 

Hapū - Ngati Taka and Pakuharakiki.

Ella Nathan - Horticulture

“I’m retired now and help look after the Papa Kainga garden up the road from the marae so it’s great to be learning more about plants and sustainable ways of taking care of them. It’s really different being back in a learning environment but I’m loving it and the students and tutors are fantastic. I find the botanical names are still a challenge but that’s good for me.”

“I love mixing with the different people here, learning different ways of doing things, and learning about the plants and planting times. We all bring and swap plants too. The whole class came down to the marae and had landscaping suggestions - particularly in the area where we have a lot of native plants.”

“I especially enjoyed the course field trips to the sub-tropical gardens and nursery in Matapouri and the tropical fruit orchard near Parua Bay. It’s a real inspiration going out and seeing what people are creating.” 

“I’m now starting to utilize what we’re learning and I love knowing how to look after Papatūānuku in a sustainable way. We’re using what we’ve got in our immediate environment and not wasting things. The dream is to take the best possible care of our whenua out there where we live, and to pass that knowledge on for others to do the same.”

Haydon Ngakuru - Horticulture

“Being able to see the produce you’ve grown, taste the flavour, and be part of living in a sustainable way is what I’m here for. I was working in the trucking industry for many years but it was time to come home to the land here.”

“I was already a keen grower but I wanted to broaden my understanding and knowledge and my cousin recommended the course because he had just finished it.  It’s been a hard adjustment exercising parts of my brain that have been asleep for a long time but I’ve got great support from the tutors and students and I’m loving it. Once a week we all get together and have a feast from the garden we’ve grown.”

“One of my challenges is learning to have patience with other land users that are not like-minded about sustainable practices. I’m learning to negotiate and collaborate and compromise.”

“I really enjoy watching other people realize what they’re capable of. Our tutor is skilled at getting the best out of other people and he sees that I have that too. He has surprised me by suggesting that I upskill and step up to become a tutor.”

“So I’ll go on and do level 4 and 5 here then my tutoring ticket. I’m excited to think I can help people push past their doubts and give things a go. Seeing someone believe in themselves is enough to brighten my day.”

Julie Duffy - Horticulture

“This is a fast paced course with lots of different aspects ranging from growing, to irrigation systems, to grafting and propagation. I now have a house on half an acre and two children to support after a marriage break-up, so I’m hoping it will give me ideas for my future.”

“I was running seven acres organically previously but had big gaps in my knowledge so I like that this course is comprehensive - including field trips to olive groves, landscaped projects and conservation properties.”

“I’m discovering I have a surprising interest in biological control and Integrated Pest Management. I’m fascinated with the idea of breeding parasitic wasps and ladybirds and it’s great knowing there are companies here doing that now.”

“Balancing study, my part time work, and my family is challenging but the tutors are accommodating and the fact that it is a three-day-a week course makes it workable. The student support services here are absolutely fantastic and have cleared the roadblocks I had around studying as a solo parent.” 

“We also have a varied and sociable class celebrating things like birthdays, and we grow raised bed food crops that we can take home to our families.”

“I want to be as self-sufficient as possible on our section plus I want a career in horticulture. The dream is to be self-employed where I live by starting my own company in something related to biological control services.”

Louise Wairepo - Horticulture

“I was working in hot-houses with palms in Auckland then moved up here and have been working in hot-houses and gardens. I already have the CV and the references but it’s time now to get the ticket to validate the experience and open more opportunities.”

“As soon as my daughter saw this course on Facebook, I came down and signed up. I love the touch of the soil and being amongst the smell and growth of the plants. We have a knowledgeable tutor who takes time to explain things and has a beautiful communication style with the students. He has the patience to help me with the theory and botanical names that are a challenge.”

“What we are learning is uplifting, and my passion for plants and their processes will get me through any challenges. I especially enjoy collecting seed and propagating. I didn’t know how it was done but now it means I can collect seed and cuttings and create plants for free. I love putting something in the earth and watching it flourish. Creating beauty is healing.”

“By getting a horticulture qualification I’ll be able to get a job doing what I love with more pay and more responsibility. Through work experience for the course, I’m already working part time at a local nursery. I also have some land on the gum-fields that I want to gradually plant up with what I’ve propagated and make it look like paradise.”