AST Conservation and Land Management Courses
If you love plants and gardens, have a passion for conservation and dream of working in the great outdoors, then our Horticulture and Conservation courses are perfect for you. Equipping you with the practical skills and knowledge in plant identification and care, vegetation, different soils and soil care, treating weeds, plant pests and diseases, safely preparing and applying chemicals, our courses will support you to pathway into successful careers in horticulture, conservation and ecosystem management, parks and gardens and landscaping.
Access Skills Training has an excellent network of industry partners, from local native nurseries to state-wide conservation organisations, we link our delivery with visits and engagement activities with employers, ensuring you remain up-to-date with current industry demands.
Accredited Courses
AHC20416 Certificate II in Horticulture (Release 3)
This qualification provides a general vocational outcome in amenity horticulture and give you the skills and knowledge to continue your career in the horticulture industry. Learn about maintaining plants; irrigation; treating weeds, plant pests and plant disease; soil health; and basic landscaping.
Course details:
15 units required
2 days a week for 32 weeks
Fees: Government Subsidised $338.00 Concession $338.00 Non-Concession Fee for Service $4,188.00
Units:
- AHCWHS201 Participate in work health and safety processes
- AHCSOL202 Assist with soil or growing media sampling and testing
- AHCPCM201 Recognise plants
- AHCPMG201 Treat weeds
- AHCPMG202 Treat plant pests, diseases and disorders
- Electives (subject to change based on student interest and local requirements)
- AHCNSY203 Undertake propagation activity
- MEM18001 Use hand tools
- AHCMOM203 Operate basic machinery and equipment
- AHCIRG219 Assist with low volume irrigation operations
- AHCNSY202 Pot up plants
- AHCNSY202 Care for nursery plants
- AHCNSY204 Maintain indoor plants
- AHCPGD201 Plant trees and shrubs
- AHCLSC205 Install tree protection devices
- AHCPGD203 Prune shrubs and small trees
AHC30716 Certificate III in Horticulture (Release 2)
The Certificate III builds on the entry level content of the Certificate II and explores topics in more detail, such as controlling items like weeds, plant pests and diseases rather than simply treating them.
Course details:
16 units required
2 days a week for 32 weeks
Fees: Government Subsidised $356.00 Concession $356.00 Non-Concession Fee for Service $7,496.00
Units:
- AHCPCM306 Provide information on plants and their culture
- AHCPMG302 Control plant pests, diseases and disorders
- AHCWHS301 Contribute to work health and safety processes
- AHCSOL304 Implement soil improvements for garden and turf areas
- AHCPMG301 Control weeds
- Electives (subject to change based on student interest and local requirements)
- AHCWRK309 Apply environmentally sustainable work practices
- AHCMOM304 Operate machinery and equipment
- HLTAID003 Provide first aid
- AHCPCM303 Identify plant specimens
- AHCPCM305 Implement a plant nutrition program
- AHCPGD301 Implement a plant establishment program
- AHCPGD303 Perform specialist amenity pruning
- AHCWRK311 Conduct site inspections
- FWPCOT2256 Trim and cut felled trees
- AHCCHM307 Prepare and apply chemicals
- AHCCHM304 Transport and store chemicals
AHC21020 Certificate II in Conservation and Ecosystem Management (Release 1)
Our Certificate II course offers entry level skills and knowledge in the conservation and ecosystem management sector.
This course has a strong focus on understanding and observing environmentally responsible work practices, how to properly care for nursery plants and undertake propagation and how to protect and conserve cultural places.
Course details:
15 units required
2 days a week for 32 weeks
Fees: Government Subsidised $398.00 Concession $398.00 Non-Concession Fee for Service $4,200.00
Units:
- AHCWHS201 Participate in work health and safety processes
- AHCWRK209 Participate in environmentally sustainable work practices
Electives (subject to change based on student interest and local requirements) - AHCPCM204 Recognise plants
- AHCECR305 Collect native seed
- AHCPMG201 Treat weeds
- AHCPMG202 Treat plant pests, diseases and disorders
- AHCWRK202 Observe environmental work practices
- AHCWRK204 Work effectively in the industry
- AHCMOM203 Operate basic machinery and equipment
- AHCMOM213 Operate and maintain chainsaws
- AHCNSY206 Care for nursery plants
- AHCNSY207 Undertake propagation activities
- AHCSAW202 Recognise landforms and soil types
- AHCILM201 Maintain cultural places
AHC31420 Certificate III in Conservation and Ecosystem Management (Release 1)
The Certificate III builds on the entry level content of the Certificate II and explores topics in more detail, such as conducting ecological site inspection, controlling items like weeds, plant pests and diseases rather than simply treating them and safely selecting, preparing and transporting chemicals.
Course details:
16 units required
2 days a week for 41 weeks
Fees: Government Subsidised $356.00 Concession $356.00 Non-Concession Fee for Service $8,196.00
Units:
- AHCWHS301 Contribute to work health and safety processes
- AHCECR309 Conduct an ecological and cultural site inspection prior to works
Electives (subject to change based on student interest and local requirements) - AHCECR301 Maintain native ecosystem areas
- AHCECR305 Collect native seed
- AHCPCM303 Identify plant specimens
- AHCPCM306 Provide information on plants and their culture
- AHCPMG301 Control weeds
- AHCPMG302 Control plant pests, diseases and disorders
- AHCCHM304 Transport and store chemicals
- AHCCHM307 Prepare and apply chemicals to control pest, weeds and diseases
Pre-Accredited Courses
Pre-Accredited Course – Introduction to Sustainability
Fee: Fully Funded
Location: Bendigo, VIC
Delivery Mode: Face to face
Duration: 50 Hours: 5 hourly sessions, 2 days a week for 5 weeks
This course aims to introduce participants to the concept of sustainable living and how small changes to behaviours and lifestyle coupled with education can help protect food sources and the environment.
Course content will include:
- Introduction to sustainable living – looking at land use, habitat, energy consumption and recycling practices
- Ethics and Behaviour – a look at the current climate and what changes are needed from individuals to government to generate change; move away from globalisation to localisation
- Sustainable living in Bendigo and the local region (including tour of PepperGreen Farm, Bendigo)
- Sustainability Design – looking deeper at how to improve environments; reduce negative impacts on local environments and improve the health and comfort of spaces
- Food and plant propagation – looking at composting, worm farms and other practices
- Insects and animals – how our wildlife plays a vital role in sustainability
- Solutions to create a more sustainable world
Pre-Accredited Course – Introduction to Indigenous Gardening
Fee: Fully Funded
Location: Bendigo, VIC
Delivery Mode: Face to face
Duration: 55 Hours: 1 day a week for 12 weeks
The aim of this course is to offer a unique learning experience using Horticulture projects to develop practical on the job employability skills. An important component of the skill set will be modelling positive work/life and social skills aimed at achieving success within the community with Indigenous community partnerships support. It will also involve investigating and visiting local Indigenous plant growers.
The course will focus on taking small steps and empowering participants that will create and implement possible career pathways into Certificate II Horticulture or Certificate II Conservation Land and Management.
This project will allow the learners to develop a culturally sensitive garden. This will lead to the potential to develop a small niche Plant Nursery at the PepperGreen Farm site.
Learners will gain knowledge of local Indigenous native plants and their uses. Also, including the Chinese influence on market gardens in the Bendigo region. Linking the rich history and two cultures at this amazing culturally sensitive learning site.
