OPEN LEARNING - ABORICULTURE MANAGEMENT - STUDY FROM HOME
Learn business management and aboriculture in one certificate.
- Learn arboriculture and business management
- Turn your passion into a sucessful business
- Gain essential marketing skills
- Increase your horticultural knowledge
- Save money, stress and time - study from home
Topics covered: Four core business units units covering office practices, business operations, management and marketing. Students then take three three specialist units of study relating to the selection and culture of plants, with an emphasis on trees. This study is then coupled with a 200hr workplace project to ensure practical skills and knowledge are of a standard required by industry practice.
Accredited through the International Accreditation & Recognition Council - I.A.R.C.
This course is ideal for those already in the horticultural industry who want to specialise in aboriculture and gain an industry relevant qualification. It is also ideal for those starting out and wanting to gain practical experience and knowledge.
Arborists find work opportunities both in self employment, and working for others:
- In parks departments,
- golf courses,
- home gardens,
- street tree management,
- advance tree nurseries and landscape developments,
- tourist parks,
- historic properties, environmental conservation, etc
COURSE STRUCTURE
This course is comprised of:
Core studies - Four units (400 hours) of compulsory subjects for all students.
Elective studies – Three stream units for the development of knowledge in arboriculture
Project – a workplace project of 200 hrs relevant to your field of study. The project specifically aims to provide the student with the opportunity to apply and integrate skills and knowledge developed through various areas of formal study. Contact the school for more information.
Modules
Note that each module in the Advanced Certificate In Applied Management (Arboriculture) is a short course in its own right, and may be studied separately.
What You Will Do
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Learn to distinguish between plants in order to identify at least 50 trees.
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Develop a standard tree report form, customised for surveying the condition and use of trees in your locality.
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Explain how to different soil related problems that can effect trees.
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Develop a twelve month program, for managing a health problem detected by you in an established tree.
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Demonstrate bridge grafting across a bark wound.
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Distinguish between different methods of pruning including:
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Canopy reduction
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Cleaning out
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Topiary
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Espaliering
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Determine the minimum equipment required to commence business as a tree surgeon.
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Compare different chainsaws, to determine appropriate applications for each.
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Determine legislation which is relevant to a specific arborist in a workplace which you visit.
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Explain how to plant a specified advanced-sized tree on a specific site.
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Explain tree injection, including the technique and applications.
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Identify situations where trees require strengthening operations to be carried out.
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Compare different ways to control roots which invade underground pipes.
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Calculate the cost of removing a specified tree.
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Determine five appropriate tree species suited to a specific site visited and analysed.
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Devise a method for removing a tree, including tree felling and stump removal.
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Analyse three specimens of mature trees, from each of five different genera, to detect any patterns in problems occurring in those trees.
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Develop criteria for the establishment of a tree plantation on a specific site which addresses; site restrictions, cost and function.
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Compare different approaches to land rehabilitation, to determine strengths and weaknesses of alternative options on a site to be rehabilitated.
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Determine techniques to maximise plant development in land rehabilitation situations.
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Explain the different ways of producing seedling trees for land rehabilitation purposes.
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Determine appropriate plant establishment programs.
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Develop procedures to care for plants, during establishment in an hostile environment.
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Manage the rehabilitation of degraded soil.
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Explain the effect of plants on improving a degraded site, both physically and chemically.
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Determine ways to better manage staff, administration and finance within an aboricultural enterprise
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Determine improvements for the marketing of an arboricultural enterprise
OPPORTUNITIES FOR A CAREER WITH TREES
Arborists; tradesmen and professionals are employed to work in:
- parks departments,
- forestry,
- municipal parks and gardens,
- commercial and private gardens
- street trees,
- plant nurseries, etc.
Career Pathways
- Knowlege and experience are equally important as a qualification
- Don't make the mistake of assuming an apprenticeship will guarantee long term career success
- Some start out volunteering,
- Some start with an "assistants" job in a plant nursery or garden, where they start to learn about trees,
- Others start with a course like this or even a more general horticultural course
- If you can identify plants, understand horticultural science and have some experience caring for trees; you will be able to compete for job opportunities when they arise. The trick is to be in the right place at the right time, so you get noticed; and that involves persistence and networking.
- People who learn and have solid knowledge and skills, are the people who advance through the ranks, getting promoted to eventually become a manager, consultant or business owner.
We provide advice and support to all of our students; and are happy to talk to you about planning a pathway that gives you the best chance of reaching the career goals you have set yourself.
