EDUCATION
Horticulture is a rapidly expanding industry with ambitious targets for growth. However, a persistent challenge facing the industry is finding an skilled workforce to support this growth.
Horticulture is a rapidly expanding industry with ambitious targets for growth. However, a persistent challenge facing the industry is finding an skilled workforce to support this growth.
Cultivate Your Career is an annual event held in the Western Bay of Plenty and the Eastern Bay of Plenty which is coordinated by NZKGI as part of its mission to attract, develop and inspire young people within the Bay of Plenty’s horticulture industry. The event aims to showcase horticultural businesses and industry professionals to secondary school students, opening them to the range of opportunities available in the industry and the skills they will need to transition into horticulture employment.
Past events have included collaborations between businesses ranging from Xerra Earth Observation Institute (investigating how moisture in soil can be measured from Space) through to Savvy HR (how individual attributes might fit people into the workplace), BeeNZ (honey processing) and Jenkins Freshpac Systems (viewing the latest packing technology). They also learn about the associated careers available in the industry.
“I found the activities that we did very useful as it helped us understand how to figure out our personal traits; how we are able to use our strengths and where our skills might sit within in a horticultural business.”
“I enjoyed learning about Zespri through playing games and learning about the robotic picking machine was quite cool too. The port tour was also interesting, seeing how much the industry is expanding and hearing about the planned changes there.”
– Aquinas College students
If you would like to take part in the event you can email Sam Vicente-Moa or contact
NZKGI on 07 5747139.