Crop Technician

Being a Crop Technician requires self-motivation and the ability to work both independently and as a team player to complete tasks safely and efficiently. Many companies now use automation for a number of routine tasks, which will require technical skills to operate.

This standard provides the opportunity for individuals to acquire the ‘knowledge’, ‘skills’ and ‘behaviours’ required and follows a ‘core and options’ approach. This allows the flexibility to learn core subjects and then specialise in either ‘soil based system’ or ‘containerised systems.

What will I learn?

As a Crop Technician you will be responsible for optimising crop/plant yields through establishment, management, harvest and post-harvest operations, while maintaining and improving the surrounding environment. You will also need to keep up to date with technological advances and new innovations.

Soil based system – used to grow a wide variety of crops in fields. This includes cereals, oilseeds, a number of vegetables and fruit trees. Production is dependent on the natural resources and physical inputs (plant nutrients etc) and very reliant on the weather which has a significant impact on the growth and ultimate management of a crop. This means you must have the knowledge and ability to adapt at short notice to ensure a high quality product.

Containerised System – generally used within horticulture to grow plants and trees but can also be used for fruit production. In a containerised system, the environment is ‘managed’ and it is likely you will spend a proportion of your time indoors. Container production will involve monitoring and caring for vast numbers of plants on an individual basis, requiring good observational skills and attention to detail.