Kia ora koutou,
This is our busiest time here at EIT, with many students half way through programs and new cohorts starting as well. As students complete courses, our piles of marking grow as we try and get quality feedback on their progress to them.
Warren Hales has been flat out delivering the Certificate in Primary Industry skills – it looks as though we will have over 50 students complete this entry level program, which is a mammoth logistical exercise. Some of the early completers of that qualification are starting into Level 3 Fruit Production this month and will work in with existing Level 3 students that started in January to complete block development and maintenance. They will be requiring practical skills of tree planting and maintaining irrigation.
Our level 4 cohort have completed three of the six courses, being complying with market needs, pruning and crop protection. For the pruning course Steven coordinated a fun packed learning adventure with good discussion and a few field trips thrown in to the mix. We would like to thank T&G Twyford for showing us the range of training systems and Ngai Tukairangi Trust for a Kiwifruit update and a very cool pruning demonstration.
We were able to venture into the new EIT Training Orchard and really see the systems take shape and discuss how we should engage a team to work well with a mind to consistent quality of work.
The Post Harvest Diploma will start mid-July. We are still taking enrolments to add to our good numbers and cant wait to get started.
All the best
Claire, Steven and Chris
