Increasing the impact of industry training investments in the horticulture industry: a model for ‘best practice’ industry training in the horticulture industry in New Zealand

Abstract

This research project investigates industry-training practices that are occurring in horticulture businesses in New Zealand and the facilitation practices that are employed by the New Zealand Horticulture Industry Training Organisation (NZHITO) to assist businesses with industry training and learning by undertaking a qualitative research survey of staff who are responsible for industry training in horticulture businesses and the NZHITO in New Zealand. A literature review investigates industry training practices in other industries in New Zealand and overseas, and looks at industry training in the horticulture industry within the wider context of issues facing the industry and the tertiary education sector in meeting the skills and productivity needs of the industry. The literature review looks at the relationship between productivity and industry training. It looks at the findings on best practices in industry training that foster a learning culture in businesses, and provides information on barriers to successful industry training in other industries. The research survey examines what constitutes ‘best practices’ in industry training in the horticulture industry, and what are the outcomes, or benefits of successful industry training for employers and industry trainees. The key factors that contribute to successful industry training are identified and the barriers that hinder successful industry training with employers, industry trainees and the NZHITO are identified. The research findings are used to analyse the learning to performance process in horticulture industry training, and to develop a high impact-learning model (HILM) for industry training that incorporates ‘best practice’ industry training practices for the NZHITO to assist businesses to improve industry-training practices and to gain more impact from their industry training investments.