Fantastic Futures

Robyn Patterson (far right) from GoHort talks with students about careers in horticulture

The diversity of careers on offer in the horticulture industry was on show at the Fantastic Futures micro expo in Nelson last month (April) where about 100 secondary school students contemplated their next step.

By Anne Hardie

Fantastic future career options covered infrastructure, farming, fishing, food, forestry, fruit and fun (tourism) to give students some insight into what careers are possible and what those careers entail. Local schools were invited to select year 11 and 12 students to spend the day at the micro expo which was run like a small conference with an opening keynote speaker, some breakout sessions and a closing speaker. The breakout sessions included young people working in key industries who shared their career journey with the students.

Part of the day involved students rotating around businesses representing each sector, with each adding an interactive element into their session. Each business or group talked to groups of students for 10 to 15 minutes about the jobs involved within their organisation so young people had the opportunity to see ‘behind the curtain’ of each industry. The micro expo was organised by Nelson Tasman Chamber of Commerce, Careers and Transition Education Association NZ, Ministry of Education and the Nelson Regional Development Agency. GoHort Nelson Tasman careers progression manager Robyn Patterson says the day targeted students interested in those sectors and described the interest from students as “fantastic.” At the GoHort stand, the student-created card game ‘Pathways to Primary’ which depicts the various careers available within the horticulture industry, was a way of showing the diversity. The card game was created by

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five Waimea College business studies students last year after they discovered there was a lack of information about careers in primary industries. Each card outlines a career with its salary potential, length of training, hands-on level, and rates its job opportunities.

Part of the day involved students rotating around businesses representing each sector, with each adding an interactive element into their session

The cards provided the opportunity for students at Fantastic Futures to discuss some of those career possibilities, and they also got to win a bag of dried kiwifruit snacks if they guessed the number of apples in a bowl.

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