Greenhouse Crop Technicians Course

This week we are proud to announce the development of our latest training initiative.

We are now taking enrollments for our Greenhouse Crop Technicians Course. This is a four and a half day technical course that focuses on both the theoretical and practical elements required to operate a modern greenhouse facility. The course is designed for both existing growers and prospective new entrants to the industry, and will be delivered in the National Precision Growing Centre. 

The course will allow participants to undertake both hands on and theoretical work as part of the study program and as we have 'live' crops to hand this makes for a very interactive training course. The course itself is scheduled to start on Monday the 26th of May and details are listed below. 

For further details, please contact Tony Bundock via e mail at tony.bundock@chisholm.edu.au

 

Replanting and overseas travel

Our staff members have been busy on both sides of the equator this week. Our new trainee -  Michael McLachlan, and staff member Doug Oldaker worked hard with De Ruiter staff members Aart Slobb and Josip Balint to replant our number one compartment last Friday. All plant material was propagated and grafted by Trandos Hydroponic Growers who once again proved their mastery of the propagation process by supplying some high quality plants

 The 'Winter' crop gets established.

The plants are currently sitting on the Grodan slabs as we exert a generative influence on them. They will be placed on the planting holes in approximately two weeks time. We have a mixture of varieties as part of the De Ruiter trialing program which brings its own set of challenges to the growing process.

 Our trainee, Michael, is getting a taste for heights as he undertakes the task of stringing! This is now Michael's third week with us and he is already proving himself to be a valuable asset to the staff.

 New Trainee Michael in action

Staff member Tony Bundock has been in Vietnam as part of an International project with Chisholm. The project itself has been developing a training agreement with the Vietnamese Government to introduce Australian vocational qualifications in to the workforce in Vietnam. The project saw Tony working with Simon Gazia of industry partner Lab Tech Training, to investigate current training and production facilities. Plant propagation by tissue culture in Vietnam is a popular method and a course has now been devised that will train students in both Laboratory technology techniques as well as modern growing and greenhouse techniques.

 Tissue culture in Da Lat - Vietnam

All parties were required to collaborate and reach an agreed training course which was signed off by the Vietnamese Government. The next stage of the project will see fifteen Vietnamese teachers coming to Melbourne in May to undertake specialized training in both the laboratory technology and controlled environment growing areas.

 Tony Bundock and Simon Gazia with members of the Vietnamese Trade Congress

What a busy week!

We have had  pretty full on week in terms of training and activity at the National Precision Growing Centre.

Our Certificate 3 students completed the cleaning of Compartment one and the Grodan slabs have been laid out in preparation for wetting up and planting of our 'Winter' crop next week.

Cleaned and ready to go!

As you can see, the students have made a fantastic job of cleaning up the house, and they will be involved in the planting out process next week.

On Tuesday we hosted 11 industry participants for a full days training in our 'Introduction to Commercial Tomato Production' course. The day was a very fast paced day of training and was designed to be a 'knowledge grab' for all of the students. Each participant also went home with a USB brimming with information to assist them in developing their knowledge after the course.

Owing to the strong demand for this course we are now planning a further course next month - dates will be advertised the week after next.

We also had a visit from Grodan propagation adviser Hans van Herk who conducted a seminar on Tomato propagation on Wednesday evening. This was a really informative session and was greatly appreciated by the delegates that attended.

Finally, our glasshouse manager is off on his travels again, and this time Tony Bundock will be visiting Vietnam as part of a large training program that Chisholm Institute are developing with the Vietnamese government. Tony will be away for a week and will be leaving the replanting exercise to staff member Colin Bednarz and the Certificate three students - we are in safe hands!