Primary ITO has refreshed its Level 4 Landscape Construction programme to include new units of learning and an extended timeframe to create more skilled tradies
The addition of five new units is designed to cultivate a larger range of skills for learners, and seeks to better prepare them for the world of site management – says Primary ITO trainer Jason Foster.
“The new units have increased the programme from around 70 to 120 credits, and the duration from around 15 months to 19 months.
“The addition of these credits will help create apprentices with a larger range of skills, including those required by management-level staff. The new credits will ask learners to take more responsibility over sites and build on the attributes required to become project managers.”
New learning opportunities
The added units will cover:
Regulatory requirements of landscaping work. This unit is in place to make sure trainees have a good idea about the regulations that impact them, including building consents.
The supervision and instruction of staff in a primary industry organisation, designed to get future team leaders ready to arrange the scope of work for the day.
The development of site sketches for hard and soft landscape features to assist the interpretation of landscape plans. This unit will help learners interpret drawings and break them down into two-and three-dimensional sketches they can use to communicate with other workers on site.
The development of a material list from a sketch or plan of landscape features, which will require learners to create a schedule of quantities, break down a job into its individual elements, build a material list and calculate the amount of materials required.
Develop, monitor and evaluate a workflow programme for landscape site works to get learners used to managing a project from beginning to completion, including making sure that materials are ordered and on site at the correct times and having the right number of staff to help with the landscape construction.
Alongside building new skills, trainees will have more time to complete the programme and more time to learn and practise the skills learned during the course.
Supporting trainee trainers
To help businesses upskill their staff and take on new trainees, Primary ITO is also offering a 50% discount on all fees – which are usually covered by the employer – until the end of 2024. There is also government support available in the form of the Apprenticeship Boost (also ending in 2024) and Fees Free. However, it should be noted that the Government will change the Fees Free policy from 2025. More details will be available as and when the changes are announced.
The Apprenticeship Boost supports businesses to hire apprentices by providing cash payments of $500 per month for their first year and $500 per month for their second year. The close of the scheme at the end of 2024 means landscapers have five months of payments remaining if they apply and are accepted in July.