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Primary ITO qualifications enhanced
Responding to demand from industry, the Primary Industry Training Organisation has recently enhanced the Level 2 Primary Industry Skills, and Level 3 Operational Skills qualifications. There are new electives – particularly in the areas of vehicle training.
Under the government’s free trades training initiative, these programmes and all Horticulture apprenticeships have no fees up until the end of December 2022.
Employers can take advantage of enrolling staff on these courses to get people quickly up and running and using the tools they need to perform their role safely. Tractors, quads, motorcycles, light utility vehicles (LUV) and forklifts are included. Primary ITO has been hearing that these changes have been well received by industry, and employers believe the Level 2 programme is a useful induction tool for new staff.
Development opportunities help employers keep good staff and shift the conversation from seasonal labour to a long-term career option in what is a buoyant sector of the economy.
Chainsaws and agrichemicals
A new addition to Level 2 is the Growsafe unit standard. This enables staff to gain compliance and regulatory qualifications for agrichemicals handling. Chainsaws is another new addition.
Level 3 Operational Skills now includes all vehicle modules as electives. This makes the qualification much more flexible and tailored to your workplace. This replaces the Vehicles, Machinery & Infrastructure (VMI) programme.
Mowers and 4WD
Primary ITO are now offering electives in mowers and four-wheel drives (4WD).
New electives also include set up of an irrigation system and fencing.
New vehicle micro-credentials
Primary ITO has developed new short, bite-sized pieces of learning known as micro-credentials – to quickly set people up with the knowledge and skills required to operate vehicles safely and confidently.
The Level 3 micro-credentials include operating quad bikes, motorcycles, LUVs and tractors.
Each micro-credential takes between two to four months to complete, can complement any programme that your team is currently enrolled in, and upskill those who are new or have little experience in the primary industries. Primary ITO sector manager for horticulture production, Adam Fleck says “These new micro-credentials will be very popular with employers who have employees where driving is their primary role. Including Growsafe and chainsaws in Level 2 Primary Industry Skills means that compliance issues for smaller growers can now be covered in one programme. Upskilling new employees into the sector will now be faster. With fencing and irrigation skills being added to Level 2 the basics are covered off now.”
Apprenticeship Boost extended
In March the government announced a four-month extension to what is known as the Apprenticeship Boost. This is the scheme born out of Covid-19 which promises to pay employers up to $16,000 per apprentice to either employ or retain apprentices until August 2022. Employers apply for an Apprenticeship Boost through the Ministry of Social Development (MSD).
To find out more about how the enhanced qualifications and the new microcredentials can work for you, please call the Primary ITO on 0800 20 80 20. Or to find out more information about the Apprenticeship Boost visit
