Challenger TAFE
WA Horticulture and Environmental Science Skills Centre

The Western Australian (WA) Horticulture and Environmental Science Skills Centre is the largest horticultural vocational portfolio in WA and provider of sustainable resource training.

The Centre is part of a specialised training, research and development unit delivering environmentally-customised training services for individuals, industry, communities and government.

It is based here at Challenger TAFE’s extensive (22 hectare) and well-equipped Murdoch Campus, with programs also running at the College’s Rockingham and Mandurah Campuses, and at various external industrial venues.

The learning and research facilities include:

• bushland and sports grounds,
• glasshouses complete with the latest technology,
• industry-standard training laboratories, and
• a commercial-size, fully-accredited nursery;

The versatile training services delivered here are specifically aimed at meeting today’s industry needs and anticipating those of tomorrow, so graduates can be sure of being well-qualified and work-ready.

The many training opportunities include:

• Animal Studies,
• Agriculture,
• Irrigation,
• Horticulture,
• Rural Operations,
• Conservation and Land Management
• Wool,
• Pest Management,
• Waste Management
• Floristry,
• Laboratory Operations,
• Environmental Science,
• Diploma of Sustainability,
• Water Industry Operations, and
• Industry-specific short courses.

Training and/or assessment in these areas is available on full-time, part-time and flexible bases for Certificate through to Advanced Diploma level, with traineeships and apprenticeships also offered.

If you’ve developed on-the-job skills through working in industry and want to obtain formal qualifications, the centre offers skills recognition assessments. Skills Recognition is especially useful for people wanting to sell their services, gain job portability or a promotion and is a great way to get years of knowledge and work experience recognised. The process is very flexible and includes on-line learning options to make it easier to fit in with work and personal commitments.

A specialty of the centre is providing cutting-edge short courses that are customised to the requirements of individuals, groups or organisations. The centre’s specialist academic staff can not only tailor short courses to industry needs, but also act in consultancy roles.

The centre also runs a retail floristry shop and has produced several award-winning florists.

Community Open Days are hosted on-campus throughout the year and include a fantastic range of activities including great gardens workshops, dog behaviour seminars, floristry demonstrations, and water and soil testing. The open days are run in conjunction with highly-popular sales in the Centre’s nursery and are a great opportunity to grab a student-grown waterwise bargain for your garden.

The centre is partnered with the National Centre for Sustainability and pursues sustainability principles through all areas of its activity, so if you are looking at upskilling, re-training or just taking a short course you can be sure that Challenger TAFE will give you high-quality and environmentally-responsible training.

For more information about Challenger TAFE visit www.challengertafe.wa.edu.au
Or call (08) 9229 8413