Education and training
If you are not a New Zealand citizen or resident please click here to find out more about moving to New Zealand for a career in horticulture.
These days getting skilled for a career in horticulture is very flexible with a number of programmes available while you're employed, or you can choose to go fulltime. There are a variety of institutions around the country.
Apprenticeships & traineeships
Horticulture Industry Training Organisation (ITO), www.hortito.org.nz
Northern Region Contacts:
- Barb Pownall, 09 9701340, barb.pownall@hortito.org.nz
- Louise Cooper, 09 9701345, louise.cooper@hortito.org.nz
- Helen Van Der Werf, 07 5423922, helenvdw@hortito.org.nz
Central & Lower North Island Region Contacts:
- Norm Miller, 06 8706246, norm.miller@hortito.org.nz
- Mary Dinniss, 04 2332712, mary@hortito.org.nz
South Island Region Contacts:
- Duncan Burns, 03 9644737, phil@hortito.org.nz
- Bernie O'Brien, 03 9437756, berni.obrien@hortito.org.nz
- David Glenn, 03 4557550, david.glenn@hortito.org.nz
Polytechnic courses & programmes
Eastern Institute of Technology (Hawkes Bay), www.eit.ac.nz
Phone 0800 2255348, info@eit.ac.nz
Northland Polytechnic (Northland), www.northland.ac.nz
Contact John Finlayson, 0800 808856, jfinlayson@northtec.ac.nz
Manukau Institute of Technology (Manukau), www.manukau.ac.nz
Contact Heidi Ramskill, 0800 626252, heidi.ramskill@manukau.ac.nz
Waikato Institute of Technology (Waikato), www.wintec.ac.nz
Contact Karyn Bolland, 0800 444204, karyn.bolland@wintec.ac.nz
Bay of Plenty Polytechnic (Bay of Plenty), www.boppoly.ac.nz
Contact Shelley Rose, 0800 2677659, shelley.rose@boppoly.ac.nz
Tairawhiti Polytechnic (Gisborne), www.tairawhiti.ac.nz
Contact Ron Taiapa, 06 8690810, ron.taiapa@tairawhiti.ac.nz
Nelson & Marlborough Polytechnic ( Nelson & Marlborough), www.nmit.ac.nz
Contact Sole Ighani, 0800 422733, sole@skillsupdate.co.nz
Christchurch Polytechnic (Christchurch), www.cpit.ac.nz
Contact Ryan Young, 0800 242476, ryan@skillsupdate.co.nz or ryan@hort.ac.nz
Otago Polytechnic (Otago), www.tekotago.ac.nz
Contact Jean Tilleyshort, 0800 800583, jeant@tekotago.ac.nz
Open Polytechnic (Wellington), www.openpolytecnic.ac.nz
Contact Tony Tomlin, 0508 650200, tony.tomlin@openpolytechnic.ac.nz
Private training organisations
Fruition Horticulture (BOP) Ltd (Bay of Plenty), www.fruition.net.nz
Contact Sandy Scarrow, 07 9285350, sandyscarrow@fruition.net.nz
Ruraltec (Northland), www.ruraltec.co.nz
Contact Graeme Couper, 0800 787658, graeme@ruraltec.co.nz
University diplomas & degrees
Massey University (Palmerston North), www.massey.ac.nz
Contact Ewen Cameron, 0800 627739, e.a.cameron@massey.ac.nz
Lincoln University (Christchurch), www.lincoln.ac.nz
Contact David Shillito, 0800 106010, david.shillito@lincoln.ac.nz
Featured career stories
Carla Emms,
Horticulture Assistant
"Summer's great! I like the Hawke's Bay heat. It's harvest time, everything builds up to that time and you can see whether you've got a good crop or not, and whether all your work's paid off."
Read more
Jamie Russ,
Produce Import Manager
"I deal with a huge amount of people and relationships are very important in my role. It's a simple business, if you get on well with each of those buyers, look after them and give them what they want then this will be reciprocated by them purchasing off you."
Read more
