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AHC31424 – Certificate III in Conservation and Ecosystem Management (Ecological Restoration)

COURSE FEES – NATIONAL

$17,400 (FULL FEE FOR SERVICE)

PARTICIPANT FEES – S.A.

$7,200 (ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA APPLIES)

DURATION

96 WEEKS

UNITS

16 (2 CORE + 14 ELECTIVES) @ 1 EVERY 5-6 WEEKS

DELIVERY MODE

BLENDED (WORKBOOK + WORKPLACE)

Course Overview

The Certificate III in Conservation and Ecosystem Management (Ecological Restoration) has 16 units of competency which are delivered over 18 months. There are 2 core subjects in this qualification which are essential for performing a range of conservation and ecosystem management activities including, site restoration, rehabilitation and renewal and management of the rural and natural landscapes and degraded sites. Topics such as collecting native seed and undertaking direct seeding, implementing erosion and sediment control measures, and collecting and classifying plants and native fauna are provided. Additionally, persons undertaking this course will contribute to the preservation and maintenance of wildlife and their habitat in the natural ecosystem, parks and reserves including working with and preservation of indigenous culture and heritage resources.

This qualification would be suitable for a person who has limited or minimal exposure to the horticulture, parks and gardens, conservation or ecological sustainability industries and is seeking employment in, or upskilling themselves into the ecosystem and native vegetation sector.

Course Description

This qualification is designed to give you the specialist skills and knowledge to work in a range of conservation and ecosystem management roles in a community-based or government entity such as a local council or national parks division. On successful completion of this course, you’ll have the skills you need to work on the front-line of the eco-sustainability 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.

This Course is identified as a priority occupation and is included on the Australian Apprenticeship Priority List.

The Course is designed primarily for Participants that are eligible for an Apprenticeship Training Contract and currently employed in conservation and ecosystem management enterprise, specifically:

  • Persons pursuing a career as an employee in a Conservation 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 horticulture or conservation 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 an Apprenticeship Training Contract or 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

ARO College is an approved provider of Skills SA funding for this qualification. 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 1040 hours over approximately 96 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

AHC31424 – Certificate III in Conservation and Ecosystem Management (Release 1)

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

Units of Competency & Tuition Fees

16 units of competency must be satisfactorily completed by participants to achieve an AHC31424 – Certificate III in Conservation and Ecosystem Management. The 16 units of competency are comprised of: 2 core units, plus 14 elective units. The 14 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)
Elective AHCMOM304 Operate machinery and equipment $1,087.50 $450.00
Core AHCWHS302 Contribute to workplace health and safety processes $1,087.50 $450.00
Elective AHCPMG301 Control weeds $1,087.50 $450.00
Elective AHCPCM306 Provide information on plants and their culture $1,087.50 $450.00
Elective AHCPCM303 Identify plant specimens $1,087.50 $450.00
Elective AHCPGD307 Implement a plant establishment program $1,087.50 $450.00
Elective AHCCHM304 Transport and store chemicals $1,087.50 $450.00
Elective AHCCHM307 Prepare and apply chemicals to control pest, weeds and disaeases $1,087.50 $450.00
Elective AHCPMG302 Control plant pests, diseases and disorders $1,087.50 $450.00
Core AHCECR309 Conduct an ecological and cultural site inspection prior to works $1,087.50 $450.00
Elective AHCECR301 Maintain native ecosystem areas $1,087.50 $450.00
Elective AHCECR304 Undertake direct seeding $1,087.50 $450.00
Elective AHCECR305 Collect native seed $1,087.50 $450.00
Elective AHCECR307 Read and interpret maps $1,087.50 $450.00
Elective AHCFAU302 Identify fauna in the field $1,087.50 $450.00
Elective AHCSAW304 Implement erosion and sediment control measures $1,087.50 $450.00
$17,400.00 $7,200.00

Outcomes

Awards

Participants that complete all 16 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 III and IV levels, such as:

  • AHC50422 Diploma of Horticulture 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:

  • Lands, Parks and Wildlife Officer
  • National Parks Worker
  • Soil Conservation Specialist
  • Indigenous Lands Worker
  • Revegetation Worker
  • Conservation Earthworks Assistant
  • Land Rehabilitation Worker

 

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.