Cade Lucas
Young people in Wyndham now have the chance to develop their green thumbs while also enhancing their employment prospects thanks to a new horticulture course.
‘Introduction to Horticulture’ is a pre-accredited course that teaches basic horticulture along with workplace health and safety and offers a route to further study at TAFE and eventually, a career.
Run by migrant and refugee settlement agency AMES Australia in conjunction with Wyndham council, the course is open to young people of all backgrounds, with the first cohort graduating earlier this month.
AMES Education Manager Mohammed Yassin said the course provides graduates with skills and opportunities that weren’t previously available to them.
“The aim of the course is to prepare students who otherwise have not been able to find pathways to education, training and employment for further study and ultimately a job,” he said.
“The students on the course were identified by our colleagues at the City of Wyndham.
After completing the course, they will go on to further study at Gordon TAFE.”
Among those heading for TAFE is one of ‘Introduction to Horticulture’s inaugural graduates, Jessica.
“It was really good to learn about what working in horticulture would be like,” said Jessica of the course which has helped map out her immediate future.
“I’m really excited to do some further study and make a career in gardening and horticulture.”
The course curriculum covers topics ranging from common horticultural tools, their uses and how to care for them, through to
herbicides and pesticides, chemical signage, storage and protective equipment.
Propagation, seed collection, plant recognition and planting exercises are also included in the five day course which is held predominantly at AMES Werribee office, with practical units held at Werribee Park.
Originally established as an English teaching service for migrants, AMES now offers courses in areas such as horticulture, customer service, office
administration and early childhood education, while still offering a range of language programs.
For more information call 13AMES or visit: www.ames.net.au/find-a-course.
