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AHC31324 – Certificate III in Sports Turf Management

COURSE FEES – NATIONAL

$24,000.00

PARTICIPANT FEES – S.A.

$5,750 (ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA APPLIES)

DURATION

138 WEEKS

UNITS

23 (18 CORE + 5 ELECTIVES) @ 1 EVERY 6 WEEKS

DELIVERY MODE

BLENDED (WORKBOOK + WORKPLACE)

Course Overview

The Certificate III in Sports Turf Management has 23 units of competency which are delivered over 32 months. There are 18 core subjects in this qualification which are essential for successfully maintaining sports turf assets and activities from start to finish. Topics such as chemical spraying; implementing sports turf renovation programs: installing, maintaining and troubleshooting irrigation systems and; controlling weeds, plant pests, diseases and disorders are offered. Additionally, persons undertaking this course will gain the technical expertise to construct and prepare sports turf surfaces for play including maintaining turf management equipment, as well as conducting turf assessments and implementing turf management plans.

This qualification would be suitable for a person who has limited or minimal exposure to the horticulture or turf playing field and courses industries or is seeking employment in, or upskilling themselves in various sports turf management and greenkeeper-type roles.

Course Description

This qualification is designed to give you the specialist skills and knowledge to work in a range of sports turf roles in a privately operated, community based or government entity such as a golf course, racecourse, local council, lawn bowls, tennis club or a stadium. On successful completion of this course, you’ll have the skills you need to work on the front-line of the broad sports turf industry.

The program is designed to be undertaken as a work-based traineeship for persons that are full-time and part-time employed. Participants will combine self-paced study and individual assessment task completion with on-the-job mentoring from their workplace supervisor and ARO College trainers and Study Coach’s. Participants are provided with printed and electronic copies of learning and assessment tasks – Trainers/Assessors conduct 1:1 on-site training and assessment sessions every 4-6 weeks in the workplace, at a time that is most convenient for the participant and employer.

The Course is designed primarily for Participants that are currently employed in sports turf enterprise, specifically:

  • Persons pursuing a career as an employee in a Sports Turf or Horticulture-based enterprise or organisation, and/or
  • Persons working in the AHC industry who are seeking a formal qualification, and/or
  • Graduates of AHC-related qualifications at the Certificate II level who are upskilling or articulating from previous studies.

 

The onus is on the Applicant to arrange their own access to an actual sports turf workplace or enterprise to undertake learning and assessment tasks and activities, if they wish to enrol in the Course where they are not currently employed in a similar enterprise.

Fee-For-Service

Where Participants are not eligible for a Skills SA Training Account they may seek enrolment into the Course under a fee-for-service basis if they are employed in a suitable horticulture workplace or enterprise and only if they and their employer enter into a Workplace Training Agreement (WTA) with ARO College.

SA WorkReady

Eligible South Australian participants may have this course partially subsidised through Skills South Australia (Skills SA). Check your eligibility here: https://finder.skills.sa.gov.au/get-support-for-training/check-my-eligibility

Eligible Participants who live or work in South Australia may receive subsidised training in this course under if they are enrolled as Trainee with a Training Contract.

What is a Training Contract?
A training contract is a legally binding document that is instigated by an Australian Apprenticeship Support Service (AASS) provider between the AASS, an employer, and a trainee which includes a nominated RTO (ARO College) to deliver the program. It must be signed by a parent or legal guardian if the trainee is under 18. It covers:

  • the length of the traineeship
  • details of the registered training organisation (RTO) delivering the training
  • the qualification to be obtained
  • employment arrangements and industrial award

 

The training contract must be lodged with an Australian Apprenticeship Support Service (AASS), who can help with preparing the training contract as well as other paperwork. If you want to become an apprentice or hire one, the AASS are the first point of contact to get started. They connect apprentices and trainees with employers, and support you throughout your apprenticeship. If you’re already an apprentice and don’t know who your AASS is, call the Skilling Australia hotline on 1800 020 108.

Click here to find a local Apprentice Connect Australia Provider | Australian Apprenticeships

Duration and Intakes

Duration

The nominal study load to complete this course is 1420 hours over approximately 138 weeks duration. This nominal duration may vary considerably for each participant depending on their existing knowledge and skills and the level of support the participant receives from their workplace, and/or if they successfully obtain recognition for previous learning or study.

 

Intakes

There are no scheduled intake dates, cohorts or classes for this qualification. Participants may commence the Course at any time provided there is an Apprenticeship Training Contract or Workplace Training Agreement in place with the participants employer.

 

Course Version

AHC31324 – Certificate III in Sports Turf Management (Release 1)

This version released with AHC Agriculture, Horticulture, Conservation and Land Management Training Package Version 10.0.

Units of Competency & Tuition Fees

23 units of competency must be satisfactorily completed by participants to achieve a AHC31324 Certificate III in Sports Turf Management. The 23 units of competency are comprised of: 18 core units, plus 5 elective units. The 5 elective units selected by ARO College are guided by advice provided by consultation with industry and on the qualifications and expertise of ARO training and assessment staff.

Participants are not provided access to all units of competency (UOC) in the qualification simultaneously. The learning and assessment resources are released at nominal 6-week intervals. Each unit is attempted in the order presented in the Delivery Schedule table below.

 

Fees

Participants are charged Tuition fees in advance for each individual unit as enrolled via the student portal or provided in person as printed workbooks. The Delivery Schedule table below indicates the fees charged per unit. A single Registration Fee will be invoiced upon enrolment. Please refer to the Charges Table in our Fees, Charges and Refunds Policy.

 

Customised Delivery Schedules

ARO College will liaise with each participant’s employer to align the workplace’s business activities with the most relevant unit of competency.

 

Delivery Schedule

 

Unit # Code Title Participant Fee
(fee for service)
Participant Fee
(SA subsidy)
Core AHCMOM304 Operate machinery and equipment $1,043 $250
Elective AHCPGD310 Implement a landscape maintenance program $1,043 $250
Core AHCWHS302 Contribute to work health and safety processes $1,043 $250
Core AHCCHM304 Transport and store chemicals $1,043 $250
Core AHCCHM307 Prepare and apply chemicals to control pest, weeds and diseases $1,043 $250
Core AHCSOL304 Implement soil improvements for garden and turf areas $1,043 $250
Core AHCIRG345 Install pressurised irrigation systems $1,043 $250
Core AHCIRG346 Operate pressurised irrigation systems $1,043 $250
Core AHCIRG347 Maintain pressurised irrigation systems $1,043 $250
Core AHCDRG305 Install drainage systems $1,043 $250
Core AHCTRF308 Establish turf $1,043 $250
Core AHCPMG302 Control plant pests, diseases and disorders $1,043 $250
Core AHCPMG301 Control weeds $1,043 $250
Core AHCTRF306 Prepare sports turf surfaces for play $1,043 $250
Core AHCTRF307 Construct turf playing surfaces $1,043 $250
Core AHCTRF310 Monitor turf health $1,043 $250
Core AHCTRF311 Renovate sports turf $1,043 $250
Core AHCWRK320 Apply environmentally sustainable work practices $1,043 $250
Core AHCPCM301 Implement a plant nutrition program $1,043 $250
Elective AHCTRF309 Implement a grassed area maintenance program $1,043 $250
Elective AHCWRK317 Coordinate worksite activities $1,043 $250
Elective AHCPCM303 Identify plant specimens $1,043 $250
Elective AHCSOL406 Sample soils and interpret results $1,043 $250
$24,000 $5,750

 

Outcomes

Awards

Participants that complete all 23 units of competency satisfactorily will be awarded a Testamur certificate and a statement of results for the Course.

 

Academic Pathways

Graduates of this Course may articulate to a range of qualifications in the AHC Training Package at the Certificate IV and Diploma levels, such as:

        • AHC52021 Diploma of Landscape Construction Management
        • AHC50422 Diploma of Horticulture Management
        • AHC51024 Diploma of Sports Turf Management
        • AHC40422 Certificate IV in Horticulture

 

Occupational pathways

Graduates of this Course are ideally placed to maintain or seek employment in the AHC sector in roles such as:

        • Groundsperson
        • Turf racetrack worker
        • Cricketground curator
        • Sports turf trades person
        • Greenkeeper

 

Exit Opportunities

Participants have the opportunity to exit the Course prior to completion at any stage. Participants will be issued a Statement of Attainment certificate for any UOC completed.

Entry Requirements

Upfront Assessment of Need (UAN)

To ensure Participants receive the support they need to successfully complete the Course, an upfront assessment of need (UAN) process is undertaken before enrolment is confirmed. All individuals who are seeking access to a fee-for-service or subsidised training place, regardless of prior educational attainment, employment experience or employment status, are required to participate in the UAN process. The UAN process includes an assessment of the participant’s suitability, support needs and literacy and numeracy capabilities via a Language Literacy and Numeracy assessment (LLN).

 

Employment

All applicants into this Course must arrange and provide their own access to an actual horticulture workplace or enterprise to enable the attempting of practical/performance-based training and assessment activities. Applicants will require a Training Contract or a Workplace Training Agreement (WTA) to be executed prior to an application for enrolment will be offered.

 

Workplace Training Agreement

Where a Training Contract does not exist, for example under a fee-for-service enrolment, Participants should nominate their current place of employment, if it is an appropriate facility.  ARO will engage with the nominated workplace, prior to enrolment being confirmed, to ensure that the workplace can provide a suitable environment to gather practical experience across all tasks outlined in all UOC’s. If approved, ARO will offer a WTA to the employer and the Participant to sign and execute.

 

Personal

All applicants into this course will need:

  • A Unique Student Identifier #
  • A mobile phone or other hand-held device that is: web-browser-enabled; can access the Participants personal email account (eg: Gmail); and has a calendar App or functionality (eg: Google Calendar) and has photo and video recording capabilities
  • An active personal email address
  • Government-issued photo identification inclusive of Date of Birth
  • Evidence of personal place of residence address such as a Driver Licence or Utilities/Bank Statement

Course Delivery

Provision of learning and assessment resources:

  • Participants attempting the Course are provided with printed Workbooks for each Unit of Competency as they progress through their Training plan and as they are assessed in the Workplace
  • Trainers/assessors will print their own copies of any practical demonstration/observation and assessment resources to each workplace Workshop assessment

 

The default release of learning and assessment resources online or at a Workplace Workshop coincides with the participants delivery schedule of one Unit commencing and one Unit being assessed, every 4-6 weeks, where possible noting that some UOC’s will require observation assessments to be conducted over a period of time in excess of the regular cycle.

Assessment

There are 3 assessment Tasks that Participants must achieve a satisfactory result for, to be deemed competent in each unit of competency:

Knowledge questions – 20-40 questions which assess the Performance Criteria and Knowledge Evidence requirements of each Unit.

Workplace Practical Tasks – which are on-the-job project activities using actual equipment and tools, that the Participants undertake in their workplace or simulated workplace or role-play.

Case study and/or project(s) – requiring self-directed research and medium-long-answer written responses which requires the participant to apply theory and practice such as action research, experiment, impact studies, planning for a complex professional task, field work etc.

Third Party Report (Supplementary) – allows for a Workplace Supervisor to provide feedback on the skills and knowledge of the Participant to capably complete the specific tasks in the workplace on multiple occasions consistently.