Introducing you to Plant Careers

07 Sep 2021

Introducing you to Plant Careers, NZ Plant Producers movement to promote plant production and inspire people in Aotearoa New Zealand to pursue a career working with plants.

Plant Careers has been designed to ensure you have all the information in one place regarding education and training offered in Aotearoa New Zealand, through apprenticeships, online education, degrees, diplomas and professional development run by Plant Careers. We also want to give you insight into the roles and responsibilities of people already in the industry and their reasoning for starting their career as well as opinions and perspectives, find these at Career Profiles.

You can take a look at the spread of the industry on Our Industry page, to broaden your understanding of the production areas within the industry and the job opportunities throughout Aotearoa New Zealand.

We will also be posting events throughout the year that Plant Careers and NZ Plant Producers are hosting and attending for you to get involved and attend.

Head over to our Contact page if you have any questions, queries or things you would like to clarify.

Young Plant Producer of the Year is back for 2024

Applications for the Young Plant Producer of the Year competition open April 1st so get thinking now about if any of your staff or if you would like to apply.

New leadership course under development for the horticulture sector

Muka Tangata, the Workforce Development Council for the food and fibre sector is working with the horticultural sector to design a new formal leadership course for emerging leaders.

Proposed new BSc Major in Horticultural and Plant Sciences: signatures needed

Researchers at Lincoln University have proposed a new Horticultural and Plant Science Major (Bachelor of Science). The next stage in the process of approving the qualification is gathering endorsement signatures to support the business case.

We have our Young Plant Producer 2023!

Lydia O’Dowd of Southern Woods nursery in Rolleston has been named Young Plant Producer of the Year

Plant Careers at Fieldays Opportunity Grows Here Career Hub

For the second year the Plant Careers stand was located in the Opportunity Grows Here Career Hub. Once again, it was fantastic to have the support of MPI/the Opportunity Grows Here team. And was worthwhile to be located with other organisations promoting Primary Industry Careers.

A Passion Shared, Go Gardening

Ezra, who lives in Hobsonville, Auckland with his wife Ina and two little girls, has been involved in horticulture since school days.

Generation Change - Young Woman Bringing Purpose to Food & Fibre

Generation Change is a one-day workshop and mentoring programme preparing young women to make impact in food & fibre.

Register NOW for the Lincoln University Career Fair

Two general Career Fairs are coming up at Lincoln University

Showcasing an industry pathway

Dani McBride has recently been appointed as nursery manager at Rural Design in Mangawhai. Dani has an inspiring story so we're taking a closer look at her career journey.

Sign up for Florida University Greenhouse Training Online

NZPPI members receive a 20% discount on the Florida University online greenhouse training programme

Young Plant Producer entries open in April

Now is the time for NZPPI members to talk to their younger workers about entering the newly renamed Young Plant Producer of the Year competition.

Inaugural Fraser Award presented

Our conference awards dinner kicked off with the presentation of the inaugural Carol Fraser Industry Training Award aka the Fraser Award to our 2021 Young Achiever Dani McBride.

Working Holiday Schemes reopening

The 2023 reopening dates for capped Working Holiday Schemes have now been confirmed by Immigration New Zealand.

New Approach to Food and Fibre Qualifications

Muka Tangata seeks your feedback on proposed food and fibre qualification system

Lincoln PhD student needs plant producer survey participants

Can you help Julio Botero with his research into producer businesses

NZPPI exhibiting at Fieldays Career Hub

NZPPI is joining seven other primary industry organisations in exhibiting at the MPI Opportunity Grows Here Career Hub

Our Young Achiever proves her innovation skills

Our Young Achiever 2022 Amy Clark has come second in the Young Horticulturalist Innovation Project competition.

NZPPI Move for Movember

Our fathers, partners, brothers, and friends are facing a health crisis, yet it’s rarely talked about. Men are dying too young. We can’t afford to stay silent.

Conference workshop 2: Leadership transformation

Experienced primary industry leadership coach, Sue Pickering, brought her deep knowledge and inspiration to this workshop to help attendees understand that sticking to a traditional leadership style doesn’t work anymore.

Inspiring Food and Fibre Futures in Schools

Inspiring Food and Fibre Futures in Schools event was held at Orton Bradley Park as part of Inspiring the Future, an initiative that aims to broaden tamariki’s career horizons and challenge stereotypes by connecting volunteer role models with schools.

Zealandia Horticulture embracing Secondary School Employer Partnership (SSEP)

Zealandia Horticulture is working with Christchurch students to promote plant production.

TEC research into school leaver decision-making provides industry opportunity

TEC has put out a foundation piece of research that presents a deeper understanding of how school leavers decide their next steps. We need to ensure we make use of the findings to increase our workforce.

Applications for the Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme are open now

The Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme has been specifically designed for the food and fibre sector.

Immigration update: new websites and employer webinar

Immigration New Zealand has relaunched its website to attract migrants plus has a webinar this Friday on Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) job check requirements

Spotlight on Zealandia

Zealandia is the biggest plant production business in Aotearoa. Here we profile two Zealandia staff members about learning on the job

Spotlight on Pūniu River Care

Pūniu River Care (PRC) is an established marae-based river care group. NZPPI profiles three of the PRC nursery workers about their mahi and how much they love it.

Business breakfast provides food for thought

Last week NZPPI partnered up with Lincoln University to host a business breakfast at the PwC offices in Canterbury. Industry leaders came together at the breakfast to discuss how our industry can adapt to the new business environment, where skill and technology are top of mind.

Scientific research to save our rarest plants

Dr Karin Van der Walt is researching our native orchids in a bid to save the rarest species.

Lincoln horticulture event for students on August 15

Lincoln University is hosting a "Fuelling The Horticulture Industry" event on Monday August 15, offering students the opportunity to engage with industry professionals and gain potential job opportunities.

Plan for our sector's future vocational training soon to be released

In a few weeks Muka Tangata will release its future plans for vocational education for our industry

Online Bootcamp for Payroll/HR team members

Business Central has its annual Payroll Bootcamp in July. This year it is made up of six one-hour webinars that explore a wide range of topics in the payroll/HR space.

We have our Young Achiever 2022 finalists!

Young Achiever is being held in late July and for the very first time the venue is to be Lincoln campus.

We have our Young Achiever 2022!

Amy Clark, Branch Manager at Kings Plant Barn in Auckland has been named as Young Achiever 2022.

We have our Young Achiever 2022 finalists!

Nominations open for the inaugural Fraser Award

Nominations have opened for the Carol Fraser Industry Training Award (Fraser Award) and we ask you to encourage your emerging leaders to apply this month.

NZPPI has signed an MoU with Lincoln University

NZPPI is delighted to announce that last week NZPPI signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Lincoln University to establish a national Centre of Excellence for plant production at Lincoln.

Is it crunch time for horticulture education?

Thought piece by NZPPI CE Matthew Dolan on how to address the lack of skilled horticulturalists in Aotearoa.

NZPPI opens an office on Lincoln campus

We are delighted to announce that our People Capability Advisor Alice Schofield is now based at Lincoln campus, forging a closer relationship with the institute and providing us with a South Island presence.

NZPPI ramps up myrtle rust action

Jacinta Harrop of Striks Nursery in Otaki has joined NZPPI as our new special programme adviser to help producers manage myrtle rust.

Young Achiever of the Year competition is back and bigger than ever before

Is one of your team members the plant production industry’s next Young Achiever? Give your emerging leaders the chance to represent the plant production industry in the 2022 Young Horticulturalist of the Year competition and boost their growing career.

Local gin made from local juniper berries: Massey researchers making it happen

Massey University researchers are looking to develop a local juniper berry industry to meet growing demand from the food and beverage sector.

Media Release: Nursery grower's green shots for industry

Primary ITO’s PiPI (Pathways into Primary Industries) is at a pilot stage where career-ready people can connect to business owners to help them launch into a career.

Online Webinar - Building Biosecurity Capability

Regsiter now for a free online webinar around building biosecurity capability.

Leading High Performing Team Workshop

MPI and About Life Ltd are delighted to present a leadership development opportunity for those working in plant production.

Stuff Article - For the love of Houseplants: the rise and fall of indoor plant trends and prices

With the rise in demand for houseplants there is the questions of influential factors such as, social media, the pandemic and lockdowns, a shift in lifestyle, as well as mental health linking to this rise.

Congratulations to Dani McBride!

NZPPI 2021 Young Achiever, Dani McBride, was a major achiever at the 2021 Young Horticulturalist of the Year competition yesterday where she came 2nd overall and presented with a suite of awards.

Primary ITO launches Pathways into Primary Industries pilot programme

Be apart of something massive and check out PiPI online now

Spotlight on careers at Southern Woods Nursery

Southern Woods is one of the South Island’s largest and most progressive nurseries, producing a wide range of plants for projects large and small.

DIY Plantman: telling the story of garden to plate

“I loved working in the nursery and I love my current role. I’d encourage young people to look closely at horticulture as a career. It’s so rewarding.”

Dani McBride calls for more women to get into plant production

“It would be great to see more women in leadership roles. This sector is so diverse and offers such a wide variety of career options."

Spotlight on careers at Waimea Nurseries

For 30 years Waimea Nurseries near Nelson has supplied fruit, nut, and deciduous ornamental trees to garden retailers. Here we hear from three staff members about their experiences of working within the nursery.

Learn how you can have the opportunity to connect with industry at Secondary School

SSEP is an amazing opportunity for you as students to understand more about the plant production industry, and get inspired to pursue a career in plant production.

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