Interview with NextGen Halil Sahingoz Majestic Young Plants

Where do you work and what is your role?

I am currently working at Majestic Young Plants in Clayton South, coordinating the Tissue Culture and Logistics Department. My role is to order, forecast and allocate our Tissue Culture imports to match existing and potential sales, control production and delivery of our initiations in labs we partner with overseas, and oversee compliance with AQIS requirements.

How long have you worked where you are and has your role progressed in the time you’ve been there?

I initially started working as a nursery hand in November 2017 after graduating from university. In April 2018 there was an opening as the PPIC for one of our Tissue Culture production labs. My manager had asked me if I would be interested in the position, and after accepting the offer I was given the opportunity to travel to Indonesia and receive first-hand training to develop my understanding of how a Tissue Culture production lab operates. Over time my position has grown to the role that I have now.

What do you like most about the Nursery Industry?

I enjoy being able to experience the massive range of variations and colours of plants that come from around the world. The ability to propagate plants through Tissue Culture and to develop new varieties from mutations is an exciting concept, providing exclusivity and allowing the market to continuously change.

Where would you like your career to go to within the industry?

I would like to experience working in a research laboratory, starting new initiations and developing varieties.

How did you end up working in the nursery industry?

I started as a casual nursery hand while I was still studying, which was at another company before I started working at Majestic.

What is a typical day like for you?

Some of my daily duties are to organise clearance of shipments and resolve AQIS disputes, quality control of plants, liaising with our labs and scientists, and general management of Tissue Culture orders and stock.

Are any of your family members in the Horticultural industry?

My mum has been in the nursery industry for over 15 years. She was the one who initially suggested I work at a nursery.

What level of study are you at presently and how much more do you plan on doing?

I currently have a Bachelor of Science from Monash University. I have thought about doing a Masters in Teaching, but I don’t have any immediate plans to go back to studying.

What do you do in your spare time?

I spend most of my free time with my family, or on the computer. I try to take short trips to areas with mountains or waterfalls when I have the chance, just to be around something different to everyday life.

Hobbies and Interest?

My hobbies are mainly based around using production and editing software such as Ableton Live and Photoshop, largely self-taught over the years. Being able to work towards bringing an idea to life, either visually or sonically is always an enjoyable process regardless of the outcome. It allows me to continuously learn and approach tasks in different ways to achieve what I have in mind, and in the end have something that I can share with others.

Proudly sponsored by Greenhills Propogation Nursery