INDUSTRY NEWS
New project to uncover the value of the Victorian Nursery & Garden Industry Nursery and Garden Industry Victoria (NGIV) is keen to realise the opportunities for growth within the horticulture sector and its allied trades, which is performing strongly with projections of continued advancement in the medium and longer term. To achieve this, NGIV is working with consultancy firm RMCG to determine the value of Victoria’s nursery and garden industry and its future growth needs.
The project, funded by Agriculture Victoria, will involve Victorian nursery and garden businesses upstream of production, including nursery producers and industry supply chain participants.
“NGIV is investing in a comprehensive review of the Victorian nursery and garden sector, at a state and local government level, to determine its overall value and contribution to the economy. This will go a long way in supporting our discussions with policy makers,” NGIV CEO Craig Taberner said.
How it will work
“The process will clearly identify the skills gaps and employee shortages and improve future workforce planning. It will also encourage business investment and provide direction as to how the sector can better market horticulture as a career of choice. “We want to make sure that the next generation of horticulturalists meet the needs of a resilient, sustainable and skilled workforce.”
20
GROUNDSWELL FEBRUARY 2022
The project will be delivered in three stages. 1. Industry analysis: Industry members and businesses are currently being surveyed and interviewed to collect robust information on the extent, scale and performance of nursery and garden businesses across Victoria. This will help to establish an accurate figure of the overall size of the industry and provide current and future employment estimates. 2. Gap analysis and recommendations: An analysis of the future projections for the skills, workforce, technology and business strategy necessary to support the industry in
