Smash Sales Records With Online Business Development Courses

Smash Sales Records With Online Business Development Courses

The demand for people with business development skills continues to rise as the global business environment becomes increasingly complex. Online business development courses provide individuals with the skills and knowledge required in a sales or business development role to improve business results.  As such, they are ideal for business development coordinators, associates and officers.

Our Certificate of Business Development will teach you how to establish and maintain relationships, identify new business and networking opportunities, develop strategies to expand your client base, and improve your problem solving and negotiation techniques. You will also gain insights into identifying potential clients, learn proven prospecting methods, and use a range of communication strategies and plans to enhance and build client relationships.

Learning Outcomes

Outcomes achieved by undertaking online business development courses include:

  • Learning how to build and maintain business relationships
  • Exploring business business development and networking objectives
  • Gaining an understanding of how to determine and take advantage of networking opportunities
  • Studyinghow to establish and maintain business relationships
  • Examining ethics and trust, common forms of communication and effective two-way communication
  • Understanding how to engage with business contacts, plan opportunities and build rapport
  • Attaining knowledge of the barriers to business development opportunities
  • Gaining insights into negotiating skills and problem solving techniques to negotiate solutions
  • Learning about specialist networking organisations and formal and informal networks
  • Exploring online networking resources
  • Gaining an understanding of representing and promoting organisational interests
  • Studying presentation skills and formal presentations
  • Examining how to communicate issues regarding relationships
  • Gaining an understanding of sales orders, facilitating record keeping, workloads and effective routines
  • Studying unanticipated events and activities, reaction planning, “swallowing frogs” and time analysis
  • Examining how to prioritise steps, non-productive sales activities, managing interruptions and saying “no”
  • Understanding how to defrag your diary, manage down-time, weekly review and planning (WRAP), delegating tasks and dealing with stress
  • Attaining knowledge of leading the development of business opportunities
  • Gaining insights into existing operations, business trends, new business opportunities and customer analysis
  • Exploring how to achieve sales results, review sales targets and achievable sales targets
  • Gaining an understanding of how to review sales performance and sales strategies
  • Studying SPACED benefits
  • Examining how to create a sales environment
  • Understanding team sales targets and inventory control and methods
  • Attaining knowledge of human resources and contingency plans
  • Gaining insights into team support and training, coaching and mentoring
  • Learning how to resolve operational issues
  • Exploring retail supply chains
  • Gaining an understanding of how to review sales targets and monitor achievements
  • Studying poor performance and performance counselling steps

And more!

Customer Experience Excellence Report 2021

Customer centricity has been under the spotlight with shifts in focus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic coupled with increased public and customer attention on how brands deliver for and interact with customers. More organisations in the Australian market have realised their customers are assets to be nurtured and invested in. Changing expectations, shifting customer needs, organisational fragmentation and rapidly evolving technology have also created significant levels of complexity for companies.

Multinational professional services network KPMG’s Customer Experience Excellence (CEE) report has tracked Australian consumers’ experience with Australian and international brands across the Six Pillars of Customer Experience Excellence for the past four years.

Online business development courses like ours will cover these six pillars as they have consistently been shown to be the essential characteristics of world-class experiences and are the prerequisites for commercial success and customer economics.

 

#1 – Personalisation

Data, analytics and technology are enabling companies to create more personal “human” experiences across channels and buying stages. Customers seek not just simple transactions, but also human connection. Whilst technology is an enabler, true personalisation is how the customer feels after an interaction.

#2 – Integrity

Corporate integrity and its outcome – trust – continue to be a focus. Re-engaging with the validation of values, purpose and moving corporate social responsibility to the forefront of the brand have been key. The rapid uptake in cybercrime and E-commerce are also been front of mind for organisations and customers.

#3 – Time & Effort

With a significant rise in the use of delivery services, E-commerce has become a way of life and loyalty schemes have become more sophisticated. We are seeing organisations coordinating online and offline experiences to enable customers to achieve their objectives simply, easily and cost effectively.

#4 – Expectations

This has become more evident as new technologies – such as machine learning and AI – push the boundaries of what’s possible. This is leading to an escalation in customer expectations.

#5 – Resolution

Customer problem solving has moved beyond just fixing problems for its customers into a focus on customer “lifetime” problems which helps to extend a trusted relationship. In 2021, many organisations have harnessed new technologies to foster better customer relationships by enhancing issue resolution and query handling.

#6 – Empathy

Customers want to deal with companies that show they care and can tangibly demonstrate their customers are important. Organisations are beginning to operationalise empathy and it is becoming a core competence in user experience design and improvement.

 

Top 10 Customer Experience Brands in Australia in 2021

According to multinational professional services network KPMG, Australian expectations have become more nuanced during COVID-19 with empathy and personalisation now essential building blocks of a sustainable customer relationship.

In 2021, the KPMG Customer Experience Excellence report surveyed more than 20,000 people globally and 3,000 plus in Australia,  to find out which brands deliver the best customer experience. As

Jenny Roche, a partner at KPMG Australia says,“With customer experience becoming ever more complicated with multiple moving parts, the pandemic has forced many companies to reflect on how these moving parts can be better orchestrated to work more effectively and cohesively together to deliver holistic customer experiences.”

Australian consumer sentiment in 2021 went back to basics as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, with an increased focus on digital, retail, alcohol and home gyms and offices. Retail has continued to build upon its market leading position across industries in driving customer experience excellence. This is despite the sector facing significant second-year COVID-19 challenges, including business impacts on store network management, meeting customer expectations and managing channel, customer and supply chain challenges.

Seven of the top ten brands came from grocery and non-grocery retail, including fast food and quick service retail. Companies which support the online retail experience were also strongly represented, with Afterpay and Paypal also making the top10.

Topping the list for the first time is online beauty brand Mecca, which has demonstrated ongoing commitment to customer and employee experience. Mecca has rapidly accelerated its digital and personalisation capability alongside physical retail expansion. Its loyalty program, Beauty Loop, avoids discounts and instead relies on a community of 4.3 million highly engaged customers to share data to create its leading customer loyalty and advocacy program.

  1. Mecca
  2. First Choice Liquor
  3. Bendigo Bank
  4. Bunnings
  5. Afterpay
  6. Specsavers
  7. Priceline
  8. Chemist Warehouse
  9. The Iconic
  10. Paypal

 

Business Council of Australia  

The Business Council of Australia is an industry association that comprises the chief executives of more than 100 of Australia’s biggest corporations. Its vision is to strive for a stronger Australia, and its role is to

actively collaborate with political leaders at all levels of government, community and business groups and engage directly with the community to achieve their vision and purpose.

Its purpose is to ensure Australia is economically strong to support a free, fair and inclusive society for all Australians. Achieving this requires well-run, successful businesses that create inclusive work environments and meaningful jobs which reflect and are accountable to the broader Australian community.

The Business Council of Australia champions the role that responsible businesses play in generating sustainable economic growth and advocate for policy settings that are in the national interest. Its mission is to advocate for the role of business to generate returns for shareholders over the medium to long term. Doing that requires businesses to be good corporate citizens and for big and small business to work together across Australia’s regions and cities. It also means to act in good faith, have products and services that are fit for market, represent those products fairly, and balance the needs of all stakeholders and interests including employees, customers, shareholders, suppliers, the community and the environment.

 

Feel empowered to use the skills and knowledge you’ve gained to improve business results for an organisation with online business development courses such as our Certificate of Business Development.

How Courses in Strategic Management Enhance Your CV

Strategic management is vital to any decision-making process in business particularly for organisational leaders. Courses in strategic management can give you insights into how to develop your strategic management skills to oversee business strategy and create a strategic plan. Our Certificate of Strategic Management will also teach you how to analyse internal and external environments to plan and lead an organisation in a strategic direction and therefore support progress and growth.

Learning Outcomes

Outcomes achieved by undertaking courses in strategic management include:

  • Learning about the difference between strategy and strategic management, the importance of strategic planning and Mintzberg’s five p’s
  • Exploring strategies, levels of decisions and strategic (corporate) level decisions
  • Gaining an understanding of tactical (business) level decisions and operational (functional) level decisions
  • Studying how to analyse your external environment and resource capabilities and how to identify your mission statement and vision for the future
  • Examining core values, guiding principles, long term goals, smart objectives and action plans with timelines
  • Understanding how to develop and implement communication and monitoring plans
  • Attaining knowledge of a PESTLE analysis and the external and macro environments
  • Gaining insights into political, economic, socio-cultural, technological, legal and environmental factors
  • Learning about Porter’s Five Forces, the threat of potential new entrants and the bargaining power of buyers and suppliers
  • Exploring the threat of substitutes, the extent of competitive rivalry and competitor’s reviews
  • Gaining an understanding of SWOT analysis, competitor profiling and tools of analysis – micro environment
  • Studying the purpose of analysing the internal environment
  • Examining internal analysis tools, VRIO and McKinsey 7s framework
  • Understanding how to use and apply McKinsey’s model
  • Attaining knowledge of the value chain, portfolio analysis and competitive advantage
  • Gaining insights into the strategic management of human resources
  • Learning about human resources, staff and strategic planning and HR audits
  • Exploring the components of a HR audit, organisational structure and strategy and hierarchal organisational charts
  • Gaining an understanding of functional structure, horizontal (also known as flat) structure and company divisions
  • Studying matrix (organisational structure), team-based structure and network
  • Examining process, succession planning and organisational culture
  • Understanding adhocracy, clan, hierarchy and the market
  • Attaining knowledge of developing a strategic plan, business level versus corporate level strategy, strategy mapping and finances
  • Gaining insights into customers, processes, learning/growth and choosing the right strategy
  • Learning about consistency and suitability, validity and feasibility, business risk and attractiveness to stakeholders
  • Exploring strategic plan documents, competitive advantages and vision
  • Gaining an understanding of strategic objectives and organisational goals, key performance indicators and resource implications
  • Studying implementation, strategy timelines and evaluation before implementation
  • Examining how to implement a strategic plan, initial checks and resource allocation
  • Understanding gaps in resources, balanced scorecard and strategy implementation and the four perspectives
  • Attaining knowledge of implementing the BSC, communicating the implementation and the process of evaluation
  • Gaining insights into a plan for corrective actions and strategy monitoring and control

And more!

 

Strategic Management Models

Courses in strategic management will give you insights into a range of theories about how to “do” change. Here are some of the most popular.

Kotter’s Model

A professor at Harvard Business School and world-renowned change expert, John Kotter, introduced his eight-step change process in his 1995 book, Leading Change.

  • Step 1: Create Urgency – For change to happen, it helps if the whole organisation really wants it. Develop a sense of urgency around the need for change, which may help you spark motivation to get things moving.
  • Step 2: Form a Powerful Coalition – Convince people that change is necessary. This often takes strong leadership and visible support from key people within your organisation.
  • Step 3: Create a Vision for Change – A clear vision can help everyone understand why you’re asking them to do something. When people see for themselves what you’re trying to achieve, then the directives they’re given tend to make more sense..
  • Step 4: Communicate the Vision – What you do with your vision after you create it will determine your success. You need to communicate it powerfully and frequently.
  • Step 5: Remove Obstacles – Put in place the structure for change, and continually check for barriers to it. Removing obstacles can empower the people you need to execute your vision, and it can help the change move forward.
  • Step 6: Create Short-Term Wins – Give your company a taste of victory early in the change process. Within a short time frame, you’ll want to have some “quick wins” that your staff can see and short-term targets – not just one long-term goal.
  • Step 7: Build on the Change – Many change projects fail because victory is declared too early. Real change runs deep.
  • Step 8: Anchor the Changes in Corporate Culture – To make any change stick, it should become part of the core of your organisation. Your company’s leaders continue to support the change, including new staff and leaders.

Lewin’s Model

One of the cornerstone models for understanding organisational change was developed by Kurt Lewin back in the 1940s. His model is known as Unfreeze – Change – Refreeze, which refers to the three-stage process of change using the analogy of changing the shape of a block of ice.

  • Stage 1: Unfreeze – This first stage of change involves preparing the organisation to accept that change is necessary. Key to this is developing a compelling message showing why the existing way of doing things cannot continue. You may evoke strong reactions in people, and that’s exactly what needs to be done to build a strong motivation to seek out a new equilibrium. Without this motivation, you won’t get the buy-in and participation necessary to effect any meaningful change.
  • Stage 2: Change – After the uncertainty created in the Unfreeze stage, the Change stage is where people begin to resolve their uncertainty and look for new ways to do things. Time and communication are the two keys to the changes occurring successfully. People need time to understand the changes, and they also need to feel highly connected to the organisation throughout the transition period.
  • Stage 3: Refreeze – When the changes are taking shape and people have embraced the new ways of working, the organisation is ready to Refreeze. The Refreeze stage needs to help people and the organisation to internalise or institutionalise the changes. As part of the Refreezing process, make sure that you celebrate the success of the change – this helps people to find closure, thanks them for enduring a painful time, and helps them believe that future change will be successful.

McKinsey 7-S Model

Another model you’ll learn about in courses in strategic management is the McKinsey 7-S Model. This was developed in the late 70s by Tom Peters and Robert Waterman who were former consultants at management consultant company, McKinsey & Company. They identified seven internal elements that an organisation needs to align for it to be successful. The model categorises the seven elements as either “hard” or “soft.

“Hard elements” include Strategy, Structure and Systems and “soft elements” include Shared Values, Skills, Style and Staff. Hard elements can be easy to identify and management can influence them directly. Soft elements can be harder to describe as they often less tangible and more influenced by company culture. The model states that the seven elements need to balance and reinforce each other for an organisation to perform well.

  1. Strategy – this is your organisation’s plan for building and maintaining a competitive advantage over its competitors.
  2. Structure – this is how your company is organised (how departments and teams are structured, including who reports to whom).
  3. Systems – these are the daily activities and procedures that staff use to get the job done.
  4. Shared Values – these are the core values of the organisation and reflect its general work ethic.
  5. Style – this is the style of leadership adopted.
  6. Staff – these are the employees and their general capabilities.
  7. Skills – these are the actual skills and competencies of the organisation’s employees.

ADKAR Model

The Prosci ADKAR model is one of the two foundational models of the Prosci Methodology. It was

developed nearly two decades ago by Prosci founder, Jeff Hiatt, after studying the change patterns of more than 700 organisations. This powerful model is based on the understanding that organisational change can only happen when individuals change.

Organisational changes often fail because employees don’t understand how to successfully make the change or the importance of getting on board the change – they simply understand that a change is happening. And often leaders are not equipped to engage individuals effectively during the change and to manage any potential resistance.

The ADKAR Model addresses these challenges by equipping leaders with the right tools and strategies and individuals with the right motivation, information and ability to successfully move through changes in the organisation.By outlining the goals and outcomes of successful change, the ADKAR Model enables leaders and change management teams to focus their activities on what will drive individual change and therefore achieve organisational results.

The word “ADKAR” is an acronym for the five outcomes an individual needs to achieve for a change to be successful – Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability and Reinforcement.

A – Awareness – Of the need for change

D – Desire – To participate and support the change

K – Knowledge – On how to change

A – Ability – To implement desired skills and behaviours

R – Reinforcement – To sustain the change

 

Feel confident to create a strategic plan for a business with courses in strategic management including our Certificate of Strategic Management.

4 Reasons Fruit Growing is Good for You

Fruit growing in your own backyard has many benefits for your health and wellbeing, and it’s also better for our planet. So, why learn how to grow your own fruit? We can think of at least four great reasons!

  1. As a backyard fruit grower, you have access to organic fruits that are fresher, nutrition-dense and more delicious than farmed varieties.
  2. It’s also more economical as you don’t have to worry about the rising price of fresh, organic food.
  3. Gardening is also a gentle exercise that’s relaxing and stress-reducing – great for your mental health and wellbeing.
  4. Last but not least, you’re doing an excellent service to the environment – less packaging, saving precious water resources and free of chemical pesticides!

9 Easy Trees for Backyards

If you’re considering growing fruit in your backyard, take a look at these amazing plants for a bit of inspiration!

  1. Ballerina Apple

Ballerina Apples bear medium to large, red-skinned fruit with crisp, juicy – perfect for fresh fruit. These apple trees are ideal for small gardens because they provide full-sized fruit but can be grown in a small space. These delicious apple trees can even be grown in small pots. You’ll need to plant these trees in full sun in well-fertilised soil to produce abundant fruit. Fruit growing can be challenging, but space doesn’t have to be when you plant a Ballerina Apple tree!

  1. Dwarf Lemon

It’s no longer necessary to have a massive plot of land to grow citrus fruits! Dwarf varieties mean growing fruit is possible no matter where you live. Dwarf lemon trees can even be produced on your front porch in pots! These trees need full sun, pots with drainage holes and should be watered daily in hot weather.

  1. Avocado

Whether spread on toast or topping a salad, avocados are delicious superfoods! So why not grow them in your garden! Did you know that avocados are (arguably) one of the easiest fruits to grow in your backyard? You can grow them from seed at home, and all you’ll need are three toothpicks, one avocado and a glass of water – it’s that simple! Find more on germinating avocado seeds here.

  1. Kaffir Lime

Kaffir limes are loved for their aromatic leaves, which add flavour to authentic Asian dishes! While this bumpy looking lime has little juice, its zest packs a powerful punch. These trees need a sunny spot, enriched soil, and lots of water. You can also grow kaffir limes in a pot.

  1. Olive Tree

Olives are a delicious, heart-healthy fruit – but they’re also an attractive plant with their grey, silver foliage and can be pruned as topiary, hedges and potted plants. Although ideally grown in the Mediterranean climate, live varieties are suitable for subtropics and tropical areas – but high humidity can leave them susceptible to pests and disease.

  1. Mulberry 

Mulberries are big trees when mature, so a large garden is most suitable for this plant. But if you do have the space, the mulberry tree is worth your while for the abundance of fruit it produces! It’s graceful, elegant and attractive – plus you can make extraordinary jams!

  1. Macadamia

Macadamias are one of Australia’s best-known and most loved native foods! This delicious nut is eaten salted, roasted and dipped in chocolate, but it’s also a versatile oil. These ornamental trees are beautiful and offer plentiful shade, but you’ll need a medium to large garden to accommodate their size unless you plant a ‘dwarf’ macadamia, which grows to about half the size. The dwarf variety produces a much smaller fruit but can be grown in smaller gardens and pots.

  1. Mango

A summer-time staple, the mango is a popular Australian fruit. But how difficult is it to grow in the backyard? Many mango trees grow quite large – up to 10 metres tall – so it’s important to consider how much space you have to accommodate its size. If you do have the space, these trees like tropical and subtropical climates – humid, hot summers and cool, dry frost-free winters. They’ll grow in most soils, require regular watering and fertiliser for fruit growing potential.

  1. Figs

Figs do well in most parts of Australia, as they love a hot, relatively dry climate. They can be planted at any time of year and are best enjoyed over-ripe! You can enjoy them straight from the tree, as an accompaniment to cheese or in cakes! They can also be grown in large containers.

Want to Learn More About Fruit Growing?

Learn how to grow your own fresh fruit! Our Certificate of Fruit Growing is perfect for you if you’ve always wanted to create a fruit garden but don’t know where to start.

Certificate of Home Fruit Growing is a professional development course that will develop your gardening skills so you can start growing your own fruit at home! You’ll explore how to grow fresh fruit, nuts and berries efficiently and economically, select the best fruits for your garden, improve soil fertility and control pests naturally.

So, what are you waiting for? Gain the skills and knowledge to grow a successful fruit garden in your own backyard.

What You’ll Learn

Outcomes achieved when you study Certificate of Home Fruit Growing.

  • Understand the possibilities for growing fruit at home.
  • Manage soil for growing fruit crops.
  • Manage the growth of fruiting plants in a way that will produce better fruit.
  • Select and grow tree fruit plants, vines, nuts and berry fruits in a home situation.
  • Identify pests and diseases
  • Understand soil and nutrition
  • Problem-solving for fruit trees
  • Watering requirements

And more …

 

Gain the knowledge and skills required to start your own fruit garden with a fruit growing course, like our Certificate of Home Fruit Growing!

Branch Out in Your Career With Forestry Courses

Ideal for anyone interested in agroforestry or urban forestry, including agroforesters and environmental scientists, forestry courses will teach you how to grow, harvest and process timber on a woodlot, farm or native forest.

Our Certificate of Forestry and Timber Production will give you insights into timber types, growing conditions, wood preservation, improving the commercial output of tree production, and safe and efficient work practices.

You will also learn about erosion and salinity control, the health benefits of trees in urban environments, and forestry conservation and restoration, including wildlife conservation and agroforestry future developments.

Learning Outcomes

Outcomes achieved by undertaking forestry courses include:

  • Learning about the importance of trees and tree value
  • Examining how to decide on tools in agroforestry applications, chain saws, extending chain saw life and common sense chain saw safety
  • Understanding duty of care in the workplace, protective equipment and personal protection
  • Attaining knowledge of face masks, machinery, equipment and workplace safety
  • Gaining insights into timber and forest products and key terms
  • Learning about the different types of wood and their uses including hardwood and softwood
  • Exploring composites and hardboard (high density fibreboard)
  • Gaining an understanding of chipboard (particle board)
  • Studying MDF (medium density fibreboard), laminates and veneers
  • Examining harvesting and tree felling and stump removal
  • Understanding how to use winches, cutting with an axe or saw and removing a stump
  • Attaining knowledge of protecting trees, national tree registers and keeping the work site safe
  • Gaining insights into risk assessment, duty of care and employer duties
  • Learning about manufacturer duties, costing jobs and the cost of employing labour
  • Exploring milling and processing and turning trees into timber
  • Gaining an understanding of saws, the effect of shrinkage and wood preservation in cut timber
  • Studying plantation and forestry management
  • Examining silviculture and shelterbelts
  • Understanding pruning and thinning including the benefits and pruning to reduce fire hazards
  • Learning about conservation and restoration forestry
  • Attaining knowledge of forestry for wildlife conservation
  • Gaining insights into species selection
  • Learning about forestry for wildlife conservation and creating wildlife corridors
  • Exploring forestry for erosion and salinity control
  • Gaining an understanding of design options for conservation and restoration forestry
  • Studying tree layout, wide-spaced, clump and cluster and woodlots
  • Examining agroforestry and its benefits
  • Understanding carbon sinks and credits
  • Attaining knowledge of agroforestry in farming
  • Gaining insights into tree layout and selection, economic viability and tree selection
  • Learning about agroforestry maintenance and future developments
  • Exploring urban forestry, selecting tree species, assessing the site and choosing the trees
  • Gaining an understanding of where to plant and the environmental and health benefits of trees in urban environments
  • Studying the heat island effect, air quality and climate change resilience
  • Examining psychological and physical health, ecosystems and biodiversity and the production benefits of trees in urban environments

And more!

New Ways to Manage Forests

If you are interested in forestry courses, it’s worth knowing about the innovative technologies that are helping the industry to manage Australia’s forests more sustainably and produce more from wood.

These technologies include:

  • drones
  • lasers
  • scanners
  • infra-red sensors
  • 3D sensing and imaging
  • advances in tree-breeding

DNA also has its place in forest management. By using DNA fingerprinting of wood, the legality of wood products and be verified. Individual logs and wood products can be traced back to the forest of origin.

This technology is helping Australia combat illegal logging and associated trade. It benefits the environment and businesses that are doing the right thing in Australia and around the world.

New Materials

Technological advances are also unlocking an array of new and exciting materials that can be derived from trees, including:

  • engineered wood products
  • pelletised wood
  • chemicals from wood
  • nano-cellulose

 

Forestry also plays an important role in mitigating climate change. Australia’s forests store nearly 22 billion tonnes of carbon, in addition to carbon being stored in wood products.

By developing biofuels derived from wood, the forestry industry is getting closer to achieving an overall carbon-neutral cycle. In a carbon-constrained global economy, our forests and wood products are the ultimate renewable resource.

The Use of Drones in Agriculture

With the global increase in the demand for “clean” food and other agricultural products, Australian farmers are finding that drones are returning critically-needed information on the health of their enterprises. And they are quickly proving their worth in an otherwise time- and labour-intensive industry.

The high-tech cameras most drones have today are capable of providing “real time” video and photos of livestock and crops much more quickly than what was usually available from physical field trips. This gives the farmer data about specific areas, including which crops are being subjected to weeds or pests and which areas need additional irrigation. Images can also alert farmers to crop health issues including which fields may be suffering from nutritional deficiencies.

Several Australian drone companies are providing drones which can be outfitted with equipment which will spray pesticides or herbicides only in those areas which need them. This saves the expense of generalised spraying over the entire field with a crop duster.

A drone can be outfitted with just about any type of sensor that a grower may need, from various types of cameras toLIDAR sensors. This can provide the growers with data ranging from simple tree counts in an orchard to topographical maps which can be used to improve irrigation and planting regimens.

Large agricultural venues in particular find that the use of drones provides the critical data which otherwise would be very expensive and time-consuming to obtain.

Drones and Water Conservation

Water conservation is also an extremely important aspect of Australian agriculture.  Drones can provide quicker assessments for farmers for better risk management projects.

For example, in Tasmania, drones are being used to monitor land that is being newly irrigated for crops in some areas where the land was only useful for grazing sheep. The precision agriculture that drones can augment means that water can be diverted to areas which are in need instead of drenching large areas and wasting water unnecessarily. Using drones also allows the creation of several different maps for this project, including terrain, drainage and soil variability maps to help optimise irrigation efforts.

It also means that, if desired, farmers can also control the irrigators on their farms on their Smartphones through a Wi-Fi network. Being able to use such precision agriculture at a moment’s notice from almost anywhere is not only a convenience, it is a necessity for today’s water conservation in Australia.

Case Study: Rowan Reid

Rowan Reid is a farmer, forest scientist and a Senior Lecturer who presented forestry courses at the University of Melbourne for 20 years. These days, he continues his academic teaching and research as a Senior Fellow of the university, and is a man on a mission — to change the way we think about timber and tree growing.

“When I hear discussions of forestry in this country, it is always one of two positions.  People want to lock native forests up or they think they should be logged”, he says.  However, Rowan suggests a third way for producing this incredibly important resource, with Australian farmers at the forefront.

On his 42 hectare family farm in Victoria’s spectacular Otway ranges, he has established an experimental forestry plantation — a research plot of tree species planted and maintained for multiple outcomes. Here, Rowan grows trees to produce high-value timber and also increase the environmental amenity of his farm.

“About 70 per cent of the Australian landscape is managed by farmers, and it is some of the most degraded land.  Water quality, salinity, soil damage — these are all farming problems and trees are very often part of the solution”, he says.

When he purchased his own property in the late 80’s, it was completed degraded.  Native vegetation had been cleared for cropping and dairy farming, with gully erosion devastating the property’s creek.  He immediately set about planting trees to stabilise soil and offer shelter.  But as a forest scientist, he also planted species for timber — more than 50 species from Australia and across the world.

Now after three decades, the transformation of the property is astounding. Sugar gliders are in residence and natural under-storey species are starting to reappear.

Local Blackwoods (Acacia melanoxylon) and Messmates (Eucalyptus obliqua x regnans) are being grown alongside Silky Oaks (Grevillea robusta) and Red Cedar (Toona ciliata) which come from warmer parts of the east coast.

A famous American tree, the Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) has also been a surprise success.  As Rowan explains, “It was slow to start but is now one of the fastest growing trees, even here where our rainfall is only 700mm a year and dropping.  As I watched them grow, I realised they were putting that initial energy into a lignotuber”.

The trees are also pruned carefully each winter, with branches cleared to around eight metres in height, to maximise the lengths of straight timber harvestable from each tree. Spacing between the trees is considered and managed to ensure access to light for each tree.

Rowan selectively harvests trees, using a chainsaw and his tractor. The timber is then dried in a solar kiln to ensure stability. His trees are used by builders and furniture makers and he also makes his own furniture.

 

Develop a comprehensive understanding of all elements of forestry from commercial production to conservation with forestry courses such as our Certificate of Forestry and Timber Production.

Manage Dairy Cattle with Online Agricultural Courses

The fourth largest rural industry, dairy farming generates billions of dollars every year. Online agricultural courses offer practical foundational knowledge on a range of topics including dairy cattle management.

Ideal for dairy farmers and dairy farm hands, our Certificate of Dairy Cattle and Farming will teach you about general husbandry, the management of lactation cycles, the nature and scope of the dairy industry and products, and how to select breeds for specific farming situations. You will also learn about breeding programs, how to manage animal wellbeing, facilities and machinery maintenance, and understand the factors that contribute to the quality and quantity of milk production.

Learning Outcomes

Outcomes achieved by undertaking online agricultural courses include:

  • Learning about dairy breeds, how to choose one and dairy breed comparison
  • Exploring the Ayrshire, Guernsey, Jersey, Holstein – Friesian, Brown Swiss and the Milking or Dairy Shorthorn
  • Gaining an understanding of dairy products, the composition of milk and protein, lactose and ash
  • Studying factors that affect the composition of milk and the lactation cycle
  • Examining feed, weather, the stages of mining, incomplete milking and the frequency of milking
  • Understanding disturbance and dipping, cow individuality, breeds and the course of lactation
  • Attaining knowledge of gestation, oestrus and gestation, disease and what milk should contain
  • Gaining insights into oxidation and lipolysis
  • Learning about the milk producing days of the cow and the influence of the farmer on lactation
  • Exploring infertile cows, feeding, the milking shed and planning for feed
  • Gaining an understanding of collecting and analysing data
  • Studying climate, soil type, irrigation, aspect and slope and natural pastures
  • Examining how to manage the feed flow and planning the new feed flow program
  • Understanding the pests and diseases of dairy cattle
  • Attaining knowledge of mastitis, mastitis-causing organisms and contagious bacteria
  • Gaining insights into mastitis detection – cell counts and mastitis control
  • Learning about an effective shed or parlour routine
  • Exploring milking equipment, how to treat mastitis and dry cow therapy
  • Gaining an understanding of the difficulties of treating lactating cows and drying off – the danger period
  • Studying the five-point control plan against mastitis and viral and bacterial diseases in cattle
  • Examining the signs of health in cattle
  • Understanding viral, bacterial, parasitic and protozoal diseases
  • Attaining knowledge of feeding dairy cattle and working out dairy rations
  • Gaining insights into the maintenance requirements for a dairy cow
  • Learning about production requirements and how to work out the total needs of a dairy cow
  • Exploring the dairy ration and how to work out the cost of dairy rations
  • Gaining an understanding of how to manage dairy cattle, the dairy heifer and how to mange and feed the heifer
  • Studying growth, how to measure growth and the factors affecting growth
  • Examining the age of breeding, the dairy cow and the management of the dairy cow
  • Understanding the factors affecting the general health of a cow and the milk yield
  • Attaining knowledge of breed, the lactation curve and milking frequency
  • Gaining insights into heat stress and feeding
  • Learning how to breed dairy cattle and animal breeding programs
  • Exploring the ultimate aims in any breeding program
  • Gaining an understanding of priorities, dual purpose animals and artificial selection
  • Studying selection intensity, the generation interval and the heritability
  • Examining selection for milk yield, gene groups, regression and selection using family groups
  • Understanding how to estimate the transmitting value of a bull from a family group
  • Attaining knowledge of the disadvantages of inbreeding
  • Gaining insights into performance, sib and progeny testing
  • Learning about contemporary comparisons and relative breeding values (RBV)
  • Exploring artificial insemination, synchronised heats and ova transplants
  • Gaining an understanding of managing dairy facilities and the basic requirements of all dairies
  • Exploring the sanitary trap, releaser, pipelines, different types of systems and how to choose one
  • Gaining an understanding of a normal cowshed, abreast mining shed, herringbone shed and open sided shed
  • Studying turntable milking, handling facilities, computers and the four essential points when choosing a milking system
  • Examining vacuum stability, udder stimulation, milk quality and emergency facilities
  • Understanding dairy business planning, the economics of dairying and business plans
  • Attaining knowledge of variable costs per litre, break-even production and the worth of a heifer calf
  • Gaining insights into how long a cow not in calf should be kept

And more!

Best Breeds for Dairy Production

As you’ll learn in online agricultural courses that focus on dairy farming, some cattle breeds are preferred for use on a dairy farm. There are many reasons for this. They may give a greater quantity or quality of milk, but certain breeds suit certain climates. Other breeds may adapt better to the feed available or for one reason or other, suit the market they are catering to.

Popular Global Breeds

Breeds commonly used for dairy production around the world include:

  • Ayrshire
  • Brown Swiss
  • Busa
  • Canadienne
  • Dairy Shorthorn
  • Dutch Belted
  • Estonian Red
  • Fleckvieh
  • Friesian
  • Girolando
  • Guernsey
  • Holstein
  • Illawarra
  • Irish Moiled
  • Jersey
  • Kerry
  • Lineback
  • Meuse Rhine Issel
  • Milking Devon
  • Montbéliarde
  • Normande
  • Norwegian Red
  • Randall
  • Sahiwal

Popular Australian Breeds

The most popular dairy breed in Australia is the Holstein/Friesian. These black and white cows originate from the Netherlands via America and are known for their large size, high milk production and docile temperament.

The second most popular breed in Australia are Jerseys. Originating from the English Channel Island Jersey, these cows are smaller in stature and caramel-coloured, producing a smaller volume of milk which is rich in protein and butterfat. These cows are popular, especially on grass grazing farms, because of their size, hardiness and fertility.

Other dairy breeds available in Australia include Australian Reds, Guernsey, Brown Swiss and many others which all have their own benefits. Many farmers also have cross-bred cows, which may be a mix of two or more breeds. Cross-bred cows are known for their heat tolerance, hardiness, fertility and good milk production.

Current State of the Australian Dairy Industry

According to Dairy Australia, the 2020/21 season proved to be one of most profitable for Australia’s dairy industry. Following a year of close-to-record returns, conditions remain supportive for farm profitability. Most dairy regions reported their highest average returns since 2013/14.  Queensland and NSW returns were the highest in over a decade.Gippsland and Tasmania were the only exceptions, where returns were the second best over this period.

Global dairy markets are contributing to this promising outlook, as commodity prices continue to rise at a time when supply is tight. Freight remains a challenge, and some importers have purchased more products to ensure supply, which has further supported commodity values.

In Australia, above average storms, rain and cold fronts have weighed on per-cow yields, caused flooding in some regions and disrupted harvest proceedings. Silage-making efforts have been delayed in some regions and less hay is expected to be made this year. Nevertheless, with a significant amount of fodder left in store and plentiful pasture growth, demand remains subdued. Wet weather has also helped to replenish water storage sites and the cost of temporary irrigation water has continued to fall.

As such, strong competition for milk is also expected to remain a feature of the processing landscape going forward.

Seven Key Drivers of the Australian Dairy Industry

If you are thinking about undertaking online agricultural courses, including learning more about dairy farming, then it’s worth understanding a little more about the key drivers of the Australian dairy industry.

  1. Global Supply

    – Milk production has slowed in the four key exporting regions this spring, supporting commodity prices. Wet weather has weighed on milk flows in the southern hemisphere, while higher feed costs and culling have impeded growth in the United States (US) and Europe. For now, global supply is expected to remain fairly tight, at least until the northern hemisphere spring commences.

  2. Australian Market

    – Consumer confidence continues to improve as Australians enjoy newfound freedoms. Shoppers are spending more money through foodservice venues, while retail demand for dairy remains strong. Retail sales of yellow spreads and milk have stabilised from the panic-buying highs of 2020 but remain above 2019 levels.

  3. Global Demand

    – Global demand for dairy has improved as more countries re-emerge from lockdowns. Freight remains a constant challenge and has seen some buyers rush to place additional orders to ensure supply. While this is currently supporting commodity prices, growing inventories may dampen demand once product movement improves.

  4. Inputs

    – Above average rain has created challenges for the grain harvest and fodder conservation this spring. While hay and temporary irrigation prices are subdued, the cost of grain and fertiliser has increased. Access and availability of labour as well as machinery and suitable parts also remains a challenge.

  5. Global Economy

    – While the global economy continues to recover, many challenges remain and the International Monetary Fund has downgraded its economic growth forecast for 2021. Ongoing lockdowns in key regions, including in some provinces in China, are weighing on the recovery, while surging energy costs and supply chain pressures further undermine short-term outlooks.

  6. Australian Production

    – Wet weather and cold fronts have impacted per-cow yields this spring. Other factors including labour shortages, firm beef and land values, and business diversification also weigh on milk production.

  7. Exchange Rates

    – The Australian dollar ($AU) has remained relatively stable against the US dollar ($US) this spring. Given rising inflation pressures, several analysts forecast the US Federal Reserve will increase rates in 2022. If realised, this is likely to strengthen the $US against other major currencies.

Reference: 2021, Situation & Outlook Report, Dairy Australia

Develop an understanding of how to create a business plan for the successful management of a dairy property with online agricultural courses like our Certificate of Dairy Cattle and Farming.

Orchid Farming a Bright Opportunity!

Do you love gardening? Have a penchant for flowers? If so, there’s a bright business opportunity in orchid farming. But how do you get started? The first step toward building any successful business is knowledge.

That’s where our orchid farming course provides the education you need to get your dream off the ground.

The Certificate of Cut Flower Orchids will show you how to grow orchids as cut flowers on a commercial farm. You’ll learn about orchid cultivation, hydroponics, and potting and pruning techniques. You will also learn about propagation materials and equipment, plant hormones, diseases, and nutrients.

You’ll discover the importance of greenhouses and other growing structures, environmental controls, sterilisation and pest control, managing a market garden, and marketing your cut flower orchids.

So, if you want to learn to grow, harvest, and market cut flower orchids for a commercial garden, look for further than our orchid farming course.

What You’ll Learn

Outcomes achieved when you study our online floristry course – Certificate of Cut Flower Orchids.

  • Basic plant classification
  • Information on plant flower structure
  • Soil cultivation
  • Container growing
  • Hydroponics
  • Baskets
  • Epiphytes
  • Potting mixes
  • Pruning orchids
  • Propagation materials and equipment
  • Seed
  • Miscellaneous propagation techniques
  • Propagation (tissue culture)
  • Materials necessary for tissue culture
  • Types of tissue culture
  • Plant hormones
  • Diseases
  • Plant nutrients
  • Greenhouse management
  • Greenhouses and other growing structures
  • Environmental controls
  • Benches and beds
  • Effects of carbon dioxide
  • Yields
  • Growing plants in greenhouses
  • Plant needs
  • Temperature control
  • Greenhouse irrigation
  • Cooling
  • Horticultural management in greenhouses
  • Sterilisation
  • Pests and diseases
  • Harvest and post-harvest
  • Managing a market garden
  • Crop scheduling
  • Standards
  • Farm layout
  • Nursery costs
  • Marketing your produce
  • Economically valuable orchids
  • International flower markets
  • Special project – in-depth study of a specific group of orchids

And more …

Why Orchids?

Orchids are to the flower world what diamonds are in the jewellery business. They’re fine flowers that often adorn special celebrations, such as weddings, anniversaries and birthdays.

Many believe they’re hard to grow, but given the right care and conditions, they’ll be blooming for months at a time. Because orchids thrive in warm, humid climates, they’re perfect in Australia’s southern states.

There are over 30,000 different types of orchids from all over the world, each unique appearance.

5 Popular Australian Orchids

If you’re considering growing orchids, whether in your own garden or for commercial purposes, take a look at five of the most popular varieties.

  1. Wax Tip Orchid

This bright purple orchid is widespread in most Australian states, except Western Australia and the Northern Territory. It is a problematic species to propagate, being germinated by fungi and pollinated by bees.

  1. Moth Orchid

This is one of the most popular gift and decorative orchids. It can be grown indoors in any brightly lit room. These plants produce sprays with several blooms to a stem, in white, purple,e pink and sometimes yellow and cream. Some flowers have a unique checkerboard pattern. These orchids are suited to beginner growers!

  1. Fairy Orchid

Fairy orchids can grow in trees or on rocks and are native to eastern Australia. Many people have these types of orchids displayed in hanging baskets. These orchids are white, terracotta, purple and pink and are best grown by experienced growers.

  1. Cymbidium Orchid

These are some of the most popular orchids grown in gardens, usually in large outdoor pots. They have large, robust stems of flowers and come in various colours, including green, pink, magenta, yellow, cream, white and brown tones. Some species of this orchid are native to Australia and are well suited to bright, hot conditions.

  1. Cooktown Orchid

The Cooktown Orchid is Queensland’s official floral emblem. It blooms from March to July and is pink or purple in colour. The flowering plant grows up to 80cm tall and is native to the Cape York Peninsula of Queensland.

Rarest Orchid in Australia

The rare pot-bellied greenhood orchid has been discovered in the southern highlands of New South Wales.

The critically endangered orchid usually only flowers for a couple of weeks a year, but that doesn’t necessarily happen annually.

The patch of 170 pot-bellied greenhood orchids was discovered by NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE) officers Jedda Lemmon and Vanessa Allen.

While they’ve been known to pop up in the Shoalhaven area, scientists with the DPIE were excited to find them further west. The discovery, they say, came about thanks to a wetter summer.

Given the orchid’s small petals, it wasn’t an easy unearthing. “Once you start looking for these, you get clued in, and your eyes start to pick them up, but with a flower the size of a fingernail – and it might only have two flowers and a flowering stem that might only last for up to two weeks – they can be challenging to survey for,” threatened species officer David Bain told the ABC.

Flower Farming in Australia – Erin Dore’s Story

After eight years working as an interior designer in Sydney, Erin Dore swapped stilettos for gumboots, heading home to establish Petal Head farm and florist on her parent’s historic Gympie property in regional Queensland.

COVID-19 made Ms Dore re-evaluate, so she invested all her savings and is now earning a living from her green thumb.

Since January, she has packed the large house block with stunning flowers grown from seed or bulbs in the case of striking hot pink dahlias, donated by neighbour Marge.

“People are just kind of amazed by the colours and the textures, so that’s what makes me excited,” Ms Dore said.

Flower Industry Australia CEO Anna Jabour said Ms Dore wasn’t alone in wanting a tree change.

On the day we spoke, she had three emails in her inbox from people looking to start flower farms to meet local demand.

Read more on this story at ABC.

 

Gain the knowledge and skills required to join the orchid farming industry or start your own flower farm with our Certificate of Cut Flower Orchids course!

Love Animals That Hop and Slither? Study Our Herpetology Course!

Keen to expand your knowledge of reptiles and amphibians? Then our herpetology course is for you! Ideal for pet store workers, those interested in these animals or as further study for scientists, our Certificate of Reptiles and Amphibian Biology will develop your ability to understand the biology, ecology, conservation and captivity of reptiles and amphibians.

You will explore classification systems, animal taxonomy, conservation issues and reproductive strategies, habitats – aquatic and terrestrial –and how pollution and environmental issues affect the species. You will also learn how to care for animals in captivity, including feeding, conditions, housing, disease prevention and legal considerations.

Learning Outcomes

Outcomes achieved by undertaking a herpetology course include:

  • Learning about taxonomic classification, terminology and the characteristics of reptiles
  • Exploring Subclass Lepidosauria and Subclass Archosauria
  • Gaining an understanding of Testudine (turtles), Squamata (snakes and lizards) and Rhynchocephalia characteristics (tuatara)
  • Studying Class Reptilia (reptiles), Order Crocodilia (crocodilians), Order Squamata, scaled reptiles, lizards (suborder Sauria) and snakes (suborder Serpentes)
  • Examining reptile biology, anatomy, skeleton and scales and skutes
  • Understanding ectothermal regulation, coloration, respiration and metabolism
  • Attaining knowledge of food, digestion, senses and locomotion
  • Gaining insights into Class Amphibia (Amphibians), Order Anura (frogs and toads) and Order Urodela (caudata) – salamanders and newts
  • Learning about Axolotls (ambystoma mexicanum) and Order Apoda (caecilians)
  • Exploring amphibian anatomy including the skeleton, skin, ectothermal regulation and colouration
  • Gaining an understanding of respiration, metabolism, branchial, buccopharyngeal, cutaneous and pulmonic
  • Studying food and digestion, senses and reproduction
  • Examining the ecology of reptiles
  • Understanding species richness, behaviour, feeding, constriction and inertia feeding
  • Attaining knowledge of biting and grasping, suction feeding, iviparity and oviparity
  • Gaining insights into nest building, habitat use (aquatic and terrestrial), basking and hibernation
  • Learning about the ecology of amphibians, the use of habitat and water and temperature relationships
  • Exploring feeding, vocal communication and advertisement, territorial, release and distress calls
  • Gaining an understanding of social behaviour, dealing with predators, reproduction and parental care
  • Studying conservation issues including habitat change, edge effects, pollution and environmental acidification (acid rain)
  • Examining pesticides, endocrine disrupting chemicals, the spread of disease, invasive species and climate change
  • Understanding conservation genetics and examples of conservation programs in place
  • Attaining knowledge of how to keep reptiles and amphibians
  • Gaining insights into special conditions for amphibians and reptiles
  • Learning how to prevent the spread of disease from reptiles to humans
  • Exploring housing for reptiles, reptile captivity problems and reptile feed and feeding
  • Gaining an understanding of common ailments including thiamine deficiency
  • Studying parasitic, fungal, viral and metabolic bone diseases

And more!

What is Herpetology?

The study of reptiles and amphibians is known in the zoological world as herpetology. And as you’ll learn in thisherpetology course, it is concerned with the study of amphibians (including toads, frogs, newts and salamanders), caecilians (limbless, vermiform or serpentine amphibians), and reptiles (including lizards, snakes, turtles, tortoises, crocodilians, terrapins, tuataras and amphisbaenians. More precisely, herpetology is stated as the study of ectothermic (cold-blooded) tetrapods.

Herpetology offers benefits to humanity in the study of the role of reptiles and amphibians in global ecology, especially because amphibians are often very sensitive to environmental changes. This offers a visible warning to humans that significant changes are taking place. Some venoms and toxins produced by amphibians and reptiles are also useful in human medicine.

Amazing Facts About Reptiles

Our cold-blooded friends have many peculiarities about them, making them so unique. Here are some fascinating facts you may not be aware of.

  • Australia is home to about 14 per cent of the world’s reptilian population. That is a total of over 800 reptile species! Whats more, 93 per cent of them are unique to Australia.
  • The Australian crocodile is the largest living reptile in the world. Also known as the Saltwater or Estuarine Crocodile, the adults’ size is an average of three to five metres in length.
  • Reptiles are ectothermic meaning they are cold-blooded and their body temperature depends on external sources such as the sun or warm surfaces.
  • Not all reptiles give birth the same way — some give birth by laying eggs, while others give birth to live young. Amazingly, one lizard in Australia appears to be capable of simultaneously laying eggs and giving birth to live babies – something that has never previously been observed. Scientists at the University of Sydney have spent years studying the three-toed skink, more formally known as Saiphos equalis. They already knew that the skink is capable of “bimodal reproduction” (can either lay eggs or carry babies internally), but it was always assumed they would rely on one method or the other.
  • Reptiles have scales which provide protection for these animals from both the environment and other predators. It also means they can hold in more water and as such are able to live in dryer climates.
  • The first reptiles were thought to have evolved around 320 million years ago during the Carboniferous period.
  • Soil temperature determines a reptile hatchling’s gender which is known as temperature-dependent sex determination. Essentially it means that the temperature of developing eggs is what decides whether the offspring will be male or female.
  • Reptiles can cry, which is a critical part of healthy eyesight.
  • Reptiles inhabit every continent on the globe other than Antarctica due to the extreme cold temperatures. Because reptiles are cold blooded and rely on an external heat source to survive, they are more predominantly found in warmer climates.
  • Large reptiles can live several months on only a single meal because they have low energy needs so can live in areas where food is in short supply.

Amazing Facts About Amphibians

Amphibians are the other group of animals you will learn about in this herpetology course. Here are some amazing facts that may give you some inspiration!

  • They are animals that live in water and on land. The word “amphibian” comes from two Greek words — “amphi” which means “both” and “bio” which means “life”.
  • The earliest amphibians evolved in the Devonian period from lobe-finned fish which had jointed leg-like fins with digits. They could crawl along the sea bottom and some had developed primitive lungs to help them breathe air when the stagnant pools of the swamps were low in oxygen.They could also use their strong fins to hoist themselves out of the water and onto dry land if necessary.
  • Most amphibians have thin, moist skin that helps them to breathe.
  • Amphibians are considered vertebrates as they have a backbone.
  • Frogs swallow their food whole. The size of what they can eat is determined by the size of their mouths and their stomach.
  • Frogs cannot live in salt water.
  • It is a myth that you can get warts from touching a frog or toad.
  • A group of frogs is called an army.
  • An amphibian’s skin absorbs air and water. This makes them very sensitive to air and water pollution.
  • All amphibians have gills, some only as larvae and others for their entire lives.
  • The smallest frog and vertebrate in the world is the New Guinean frog (Paedophryne amauensis). The biggest amphibian is the Chinese Giant Salamander (Andrias davidianus).

The Australian Herpetological Society (AHS)  

The AHS is the leading association for professional herpetologists in Australia. It was founded (as the Australian Reptile Club) in 1949 and was the first natural history society in Australia devoted specifically to herpetology.

The objectives of the Society are:

  • to promote the scientific study of amphibians and reptiles
  • to provide opportunities for discussion and dissemination of information among its members by appropriate means, including meetings and publications; and
  • to take an active interest in the conservation of amphibians and reptiles.

At the time of the AHS’s formation, the only identification guide for any Australian reptiles was the 1929 book Snakes of Australia by James Roy Kinghorn, a zoologist, museum curator and broadcaster. Within a few years of its formation, the Society began its first newsletter, The Australian Reptile Club Journal. This was soon followed by a more formal publication, Reptilia to report members’ observations.

Both of these were short-lived. However, in 1963, a new publication, Herpetofauna was initiated, the title reflecting the broader range of interests and change in name of the Society. It is now one of the major herpetological journals in Australia with a readership of both professionals and amateurs.

Gain a comprehensive understanding of herpetology and how to care for reptiles and amphibians in their natural and captive environment with a herpetology course such as our Certificate of Reptiles and Amphibian Biology.

Growing Carnivorous Plants Gives a Garden the Wow Factor!

Interested in some of the world’s most fascinating plants? Then this course is for you! Carnivorous plants are plants that derive some or all of their nutrients by capturing and digesting small animals, such as insects. Ideal for naturalists, commercial growers or amateur collectors, this growing carnivorous plants course will teach you how to cultivate, grow and display carnivorous plants.

In our Certificate of Carnivorous Plants you will learn about plant families using botanical keys and understand the light, humidity, water, soil and nutritional needs of these unique plants. You will also gain insights into the propagation of carnivorous plants, including Australian pitcher plants, sundews from around the world, and how to grow carnivorous plants in terrariums, pots, greenhouses, shade houses and more.

Learning Outcomes

Outcomes achieved by undertaking a course on growing carnivorous plants include:

  • Learning about differences in carnivorous plants around the world
  • Exploring plant names and families and using a botanical key
  • Studying the classification and parts of carnivorous plants
  • Gaining an understanding of monocotyledons and dicotyledons
  • Examining animal catching mechanisms
  • Understanding resources, reference books, magazines and journals
  • Attaining knowledge of nurseries, gardens and seed suppliers
  • Gaining insights into carnivorous plant health
  • Learning about light requirements, humidity and water needs
  • Exploring how to avoid frost, wet and wind
  • Gaining an understanding of soils and how to name and improve them
  • Studying soil and potting mixes
  • Examining plant nutrition and the major and minor nutrient elements
  • Understanding toxicities and deficiencies
  • Attaining knowledge of the indicators of deficiency and toxicity
  • Gaining insights into feeding carnivorous plants animal tissues
  • Learning about sarracenia and tips for growing it
  • Exploring basic planting procedures
  • Gaining an understanding of fertiliser, times of planting and mulching
  • Studying where to grow carnivorous plants and how to maintain plants in pots
  • Examining feeding, watering, temperature, ventilation and light
  • Understanding the types of pots, common problems with containers and where to place them
  • Attaining knowledge of composting, C/N ratios of some compostable materials, composting methodsand what can be put into compost
  • Gaining insights into watering plants, the symptoms of water deficiency and water excess and how to maintain the appropriate water levels
  • Learning about propagating carnivorous plants and collecting from the wild
  • Exploring the methods of propagating plants, sexual propagation and asexual (vegetative) propagation
  • Gaining and understanding of leaf and root cuttings, disinfecting propagation material and the sources of hypochlorite
  • Studying the best propagating environment and the equipment and materials for propagation
  • Examining propagating aids, plant containers and the types of pots
  • Understanding plant labels, eeed propagation and how to collect, store and sow seeds
  • Attaining knowledge of tissue culture, uses, problems and procedures
  • Gaining insights into in vitro cultures used for propagation
  • Learning about multiplication by adventitious roots and rooting and planting out
  • Exploring pitcher plants and sundews
  • Gaining an understanding of Cephalotus, Nepenthes, Drosera, Heliamorphora and Sarracenias (trumpet pitchers)
  • Studying Dionaea, Pinguicula, Bladderworts, Darlingtonia and Aldrovanda
  • Examining how to grow Droseras
  • Understanding fork leaved sundews, Australian sundews including northern and eastern Australian sundews
  • Attaining knowledge of terrariums, pots, tubs, bog gardens, greenhouses and shade houses

And more!

Features of Carnivorous Plants

Plants are considered “carnivorous” if they have these five traits:

  1. They capture prey in traps
  2. They kill the captured prey
  3. They digest the captured prey
  4. They absorb nutrients from the killed and digested prey
  5. They use those nutrients to grow and develop.

Other traits may include the attraction and retention of prey.

Trapping Mechanisms

Five basic trapping mechanisms are found in carnivorous plants. These traps may be active or passive depending on whether movement aids the capture of prey.

  1. Pitfall traps, typically found in Pitcher plants, trap prey in a rolled leaf that contains a pool of digestive enzymes or bacteria.
  2. Flypaper traps use thick, gluey substances.
  3. Snap traps utilise rapid leaf movements.
  4. Bladder traps suck in prey with a “bladder” that generates an internal vacuum.
  5. Lobster-pot traps use inward-pointing hairs to force prey to move towards a digestive organ.

There are also carnivorous plants that have a combination of trapping mechanisms. For example, Drosera glanduligeracombines features of both flypaper and snap traps and Nepenthes jamban is a combination of pitfall and flypaper traps because it has a sticky pitcher fluid.

Popular Australian Carnivorous Plants

If you are keen on growing carnivorous plants, you will no doubt get to know some of the species that are native to Australia. Here are some of the most popular.

Venus Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula)

The Venus Flytrap is one of the most popular carnivorous plants and a great choice if you are thinking about growing carnivorous plants. It is a small plant with hinged leaves that look like little mouths. These plants have stiff spines with glands that secrete nectar that attracts pretty. When touched, the little “hairs” along the edges of the leaves trigger, causing them to shut and catch their prey. These plants prefer plenty of sun and tropical climates.

Waterwheel Plant (Aldrovanda vesiculosa)

These are smaller, aquatic cousins of the Venus Flytrap. They have no roots and are typically aquatic and float freely. The Waterwheel plant uses a trap mechanism – known as a snap trap- to feed on different types of marine animals, but are highly adaptive at catching mosquito larvae.

Moccasin Plant (Cephalotus)

Originally found in Southwest Australia, this plant uses sweetly scented nectars in its “lids” to attract and confuse their prey. Once enticed into the plant’s moccasin-shaped pitchers, digestive enzymes slowly dissolve the prey. Moccasin plants are one of the largest carnivorous plants in Australia and can be found in both high rocky woods and low sandy woods in the mountains.

Rainbow Plants (Byblis)

This is a delicate and attractive carnivorous plant with elegant flowers and sparkling leaves that shimmer in the sunlight. Native to Western Australia, Byblis is the only genus that belongs to the Byblidaceae family. Their flowers and leaves mask the plant’s lethal nature as they lure and trap small insects.

Trigger Plant (Stylidium)

Some Stylidium species are equipped with sticky hairs (trichomes) that capture small insects and this often has nothing to do with pollination. The leaves secrete enzymes that aid in digestion, slowly dissolving the trapped insects. What is not clear is whether the trigger plant gets any nutrients from the trapped bugs or the plant just tries to deal with pesky unwanted visitors. About 70 per cent of the trigger plant species naturally grow in the south-west of Australia.

Rainbow Plant (Byblis gigantea)

The plant develops narrow stems, from where the linear leaves emerge. These leaves have two types of glands, one secreting the shimmering sticky fluid to attract and ensnare insects. Insects land on the leaf, expecting to have a sweet snack, only to get stuck. The insect dies from suffocation and exhaustion as it tries to escape. They are native to the Perth and are commonly found in swampy areas and seasonally wet regions.

Sundews (Drosera)

The Sundew is one of the most widespread carnivorous plants, with around 130 species across the globe. All Sundew plants have carnivorous habits and delicate flowers with shining dewdrops, which gives them an attractive appearance. However, their flowers vary greatly in in size, shape, quantity and seasonal timing. Varieties include King, Fan-leafed, Tuberous, Pigmy, Tropical, Fork-leaved, Cape, Temperate, Woolly, Climbing Tuberous and Rosette Tuberous Sundews.

Pimpernel Sundew (Drosera glanduligera)

This is a carnivorous plant commonly found in Australia. The plant trapping mechanism is unique because it blends the features of both flypaper and snap trap features. Crawling bugs trigger the catapult-flypaper trap. Drosera glanduligera is endemic in south Western Australia, southeastern Australia and Tasmania.

Tropical Pitcher Plant (Nepenthes)

This is a rare and unique carnivorous plant that traps and digests insects to get to meet its nutrient needs. It attracts insects using the sweet scent of nectar and dead insects. Once an insect has been trapped, it cannot escape and drowns in a pool of water. Rather than getting the nutrients it needs from the soil, the plant uses enzymes for digestion.

Bladderwort (Utricularia)

Bladderwort is native to all continents except the Antarctic. This carnivorous plant floats in streams and lakes that contain small sack-like traps growing alongside the stem. If triggered, the traps have a smart door-like valve. The plant’s trapping mechanism operates by pumping water through the walls of the trap that builds increasing pressure. Once a bug has touched these hairs, the wall of the trap will open, sucking in the insect. The door will close when the trap is filled with water to digest the trapped captors.

 

Gain a solid foundation knowledge of carnivorous plants to grow your future horticultural career or personal passion with a course on growing carnivorous plants such as our Certificate of Carnivorous Plants.

Create Calm with a Conflict Management Course

Conflict arises in personal and professional settings and the ability to manage conflict successfully impacts career development and healthy relationships. This conflict management course is ideal for managers, those who work in human resources or anyone keen to know how to manage conflict in a variety of settings.

The Conflict Management Program will give you insights into constructive conflict, approaches to anger, anger management, cognitive restructuring, listening strategies for conflict resolution and the characteristics of effective mediation and negotiation behaviour.

You will also learn about the mediation process, preparation for a facilitation meeting, stress management response programs, dealing with power imbalances, restorative practices, group conflict management and how to respond in a crisis.

Learning Outcomes

Outcomes achieved by undertaking a conflict management course include:

  • Learning about conflict management and anger
  • Exploring how to develop effective negotiation skills
  • Gaining an understanding of destructive and constructive conflict
  • Studying the main sources of conflict, conflict handling techniques and the conflict management model
  • Learning about ground rules, summarising/paraphrasing and reframing and acknowledging
  • Exploring emotions, separating people from the problem and traps for listeners
  • Gaining an understanding of negotiation and conflicting parties voluntarily discussing their differences
  • Studying the establishment group, the community group, bargaining in negotiations, win-win bargaining and integrative bargaining
  • Examining how to be a skilled negotiator, the joint problem-solving approach and characteristics of effective negotiating behaviour
  • Understanding strategies when negotiation discussions get bogged down
  • Attaining knowledge off negotiation mistakes, dealing with difficult people and finding a solution
  • Gaining insights into mediation, the mediator’s responsibilities, the mediation process and the mediation models 1 and 2
  • Learning about problem definition, teamwork, caucus meeting and the advantages and disadvantages of caucuses
  • Exploring the agreement, information gathering and stating the problem
  • Gaining an understanding of identifying the problem, bargaining and generating options and reaching an agreement
  • Studying the advantages and disadvantages of alternative dispute resolution (ADR)
  • Examining facilitation, disputing parties to communicate clearly and constructively and preparing for a facilitation meeting
  • Understanding group memory and the attributes of a good facilitator
  • Attaining knowledge of settling behaviours, stress, the fight or flight response and the symptoms and effects of stress
  • Gaining insights into conflict management and stress management response programs
  • Learning about balance of power, power imbalance and the power of skill and knowledge
  • Exploring negotiating and problem solving skills
  • Gaining an understanding of the power of commitment, legitimacy and a good relationship
  • Exploring how to conduct structured exercises in small groups and prepare and plan for contingencies
  • Gaining an understanding of facilitating learning, negotiating the design, playing psychological games and ending with closure
  • Studying crisis analysis and responses and methods to deal with different types of crises
  • Examining guidelines for approaching a crisis situation, interventions, debriefing models and psychological debriefing

And more!

Main Sources of Workplace Conflict

As you’ll learn in our conflict management course, conflict occurs when there is a perception of incompatible interests between workplace participants. The first step to uncovering workplace conflict is to consider the typical sources of conflict. They include:

Interpersonal

Interpersonal conflict is the most apparent form of conflict in the workplace, and it typically manifests in rumours, gossip and office politics. Clashing personality styles, colleagues bringing their stresses from home into work and varying ideas about personal success can also cause conflict. Personality testing instruments like Myers-Briggs and the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument can help to uncover such sources of conflict as can focus groups, interviews and confidential surveys.

Organisational

Sources of conflict relating to hierarchy and the inability to resolve conflicting interests are predominant in most workplaces. Supervisor/employee and labour/management tensions can also be heightened by power differences as can differences in supervisory styles. Conflict can also arise over work style clashes, different levels of tolerance for risk taking, pay equity conflict, varying views on accountability, resource allocation and the distribution of workload, benefits and duties. Again focus groups, surveys and interviews can help reveal these sources of conflict.

Trends/Change

The modern workplace has significant levels of conflict and stress related to downsizing, change-management, changing work methodologies and technological change. Many workplaces suffer from constant re-organisation, leading to further conflict and stress. Typically, the more change and the more recent the change, the more likely it is that there will be significant conflict.

External Factors

Conflict can arise from external factors such as changing markets, recession, the effects of free trade between countries and domestic and foreign competition. Public and non-profit workplaces can face political pressures and demands from special interest groups. A change in government can have a tremendous impact, especially on public and not-for-profit organisations in terms of funding levels for workplaces that are dependent upon government.

Effective Dispute Resolution

Conflict can happen at any workplace and if workers can’t agree on a way forward or if this dispute is serious, a more formal approach may be needed. A conflict management course is a great start towards giving you insights into “best practice” approaches to fair, simple, transparent and confidential dispute resolution procedures.

All workplaces can enjoy the benefits of a “best practice” approach, which can include:

  • greater employee productivity through increased job satisfaction
  • improved employee retention
  • reduced stress for employees and managers
  • better relationships with employees
  • reducing the costs that come from resolving disputes externally, such as legal fees

Dispute resolution is how disputes are brought to an end. This can occur through:

  • a negotiated outcome, where the parties concerned resolve the issue themselves
  • a mediated outcome, where an independent mediator helps the parties arrive at their own agreement, or
  • an adjudicated or arbitrated outcome, where a court or independent arbitrator decides how the dispute should be resolved and makes an order or binding decision to that effect.

A Simple Process

A good dispute resolution process promotes fairness. If people feel they are fairly treated, then it is more likely they will be engaged in their work and motivated to contribute. Whatever the size or type of organisation, the best dispute resolution processes will:

  • Be simple and credible. It’s important your employees know their grievances or issues will be taken seriously.
  • Be sensitive. Employees want to be reassured their issue will be handled confidentially, and that raising a grievance or issue will not harm their job prospects.
  • Seek clarification. Enable the issues and facts in dispute to be clarified but also encourage open expression of opinions and recognise the importance of feelings.
  • Encourage listening. Listening to an employee will draw out what the dispute is really about. It might be about issues that are quite different from the issues initially raised by the employee. It might be due to a simple misunderstanding. Good listening will help managers determine the real issues and work out how they can be best resolved. A good dispute resolution process reassures employees that they are being heard.
  • Set expectations. Begin with an expectation that the dispute can be resolved between the people concerned, while also recognising that more serious issues may need to be escalated.
  • Establish an escalation process. Provide a path for escalation if the dispute can’t be resolved by discussion with the employee. It won’t always be possible to escalate the dispute through senior management. If this is the case and you’re unable to resolve the dispute, you could seek third-party assistance to help resolve the matter.
  • Be consistent. Consistency is a key aspect of a credible dispute resolution process. Employees need to know that the business will approach all disputes with the same objectivity and organisational values and that, wherever possible, disputes will be resolved by the same process.
  • Be quick. Prompt resolution of disputes is always desirable. It shows that the employer takes dispute resolution seriously. The longer unresolved disputes exist, the greater the chances of ongoing conflict or distractions in the workplace.
  • Be transparent. Employees must know what the process is, understand the steps, and know what the potential outcomes are.

Best Practice Checklist

A best practice workplace involves more than just understanding and complying with the law.

This checklist will help you work at best practice when managing disputes and complaints within your business:

  • Develop a policy – Develop a dispute resolution policy that suits your business. This will help ensure the dispute resolution process is consistent, fair and works for both the employees and the business.
  • Provide training – Make sure employees and managers know about the dispute resolution process and how to use it. This can be done by providing training and awareness sessions.
  • Communicate – Talk with your employees. Regular communication is important as it helps to build trust and good working relationships.
  • Listen to concerns – Take all concerns seriously. Listen to your employees and show them that you take their concerns seriously. Although some issues might seem minor at first, they could be an indication of a larger problem.
  • Regular meetings – Hold regular meetings. These allow you to communicate current issues, workplace rules and changes.
  • Be proactive – Proactively deal with any workplace issues. Many workplace conflicts happen because of misunderstandings and can be resolved more easily if discussed at an early stage.

 

Develop tactics that will empower you to achieve positive outcomes during conflict in your personal and professional life with a conflict management course such as our Conflict Management Program.

Gain Valuable HR Skills With Return to Work Coordinator Training

Ideal for return to work coordinators, rehabilitation managers and HR managers, a return to work coordinator training course will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to manage rehabilitation or return-to-work programs for an organisation.

In our Certificate of Rehabilitation and Return to Work Programming course you will learn how to analyse, process and dispute claims; consult with medical professionals; undertake risk analysis; and understand breaches of return-to-work programs.

You will also gain insights into how to design a rehabilitation and return-to-work program, including job redesign, reduced hours and alternative duties. You will also gain an understanding of legislative requirements, including safe work practices, how to use appropriate terminology and the correct documentation of client information.

Learning Outcomes

Outcomes achieved by undertaking return to work coordinator training include:

  • Learning about organisations workers compensation insurance police
  • Exploring schemes and registration certificates
  • Gaining an understanding of self-insurers
  • Studying how to process claims and notify rehabilitation providers
  • Examining how to advise claimants if their claim is accepted
  • Understanding how to identify illness and prepare required documents
  • Attaining knowledge of period of absence and rehabilitation assistance required
  • Gaining insights into risk assessment and ensuring consultation occurs
  • Learning about rehabilitation and how to coordinate job redesign and reduce hours
  • Exploring how to design a return to work program
  • Exploring how to obtain approval for program and coordinate with the employee
  • Gaining an understanding of risk analysis
  • Studying regular communication between all parties and common challenges and solutions
  • Examining how to identify breaches and suggest remedial action
  • Understanding resignations and notice
  • Attaining knowledge of how to notify workers compensation authorities when breaches occur
  • Gaining insights into modifying return to work programs
  • Learning about evaluation and relevant legislation
  • Exploring the roles of health professionals
  • Gaining an understanding of client rehabilitation, rehabilitation programs and nutrition support
  • Studying supervisory requirements and relationships
  • Examining family, community groups and care workers
  • Understanding client status and progress
  • Attaining knowledge of rehabilitation services, support/advocacy groups and Job Service Australia
  • Gaining insights into Green Corps, voluntary work, educational needs, diabetes educators and disability liaison officers
  • Learning abut ADCET, how to engage interpreters and identify client risks in their home
  • Exploring hygiene and infection control
  • Gaining an understanding of home care, community settings and housekeeping
  • Studying the disposal of sharps and how to report hazards
  • Examining how to document client information and requirements
  • Understanding feedback
  • Exploring how to monitor and evaluate return to work and gather feedback from all parties
  • Gaining an understanding of how to facilitate communication between parties and monitor a return to work plan
  • Studying how to identify and address any non-compliance and any hazards
  • Examining the hierarchy of controls model
  • Understanding how to evaluate programs and case managers’ and rehab providers performance

And more!

Return to Work Guidelines

A Return to Work (RTW) program is a framework that supports an individual to return to work after a work-related injury. Each state has different legislation and regulations to guide employers, workers and other stakeholders through this process.

When someone is returning to work, there are several parties involved, all of whom have a part to play in assisting the injured worker. This includes employers, doctors and other health professionals, insurers, rehabilitation providers and, of course, the worker themselves. A safe return to work is more likely to be successful when the worker takes an active part in the planning for this outcome.

As you will learn in our return to work coordinator training course, the responsibilities of each stakeholder involved in the return to work process include:

Worker

They should actively contribute to their own return to work planning and participate in treatment and rehabilitation. They should also communicate openly and honestly with insurers and their employers to keep all parties informed and make a reasonable effort to return to work when possible, even if this means performing alternative duties.

Employer

They are responsible for reporting the incident in which the worker sustained an injury, and initiating the claim with the insurer. Employers are tasked with providing rehabilitation to the worker and assisting them to return to work as soon as possible, even if a claim has not been fully processed.  The employer should also offer support to the worker, empathising with their position and encouraging them to return to work as soon as it is safe to do so.

Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator

This role may be performed by an employee if the organisation doesn’t require a dedicated Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator. They are responsible for coordinating the worker’s return to work, liaising with the worker to ascertain the extent of their injuries, consulting with the worker about suitable duties and ensuring their work remains within these parameters, and liaising and communicating with other stakeholders including the employer and insurer.

Insurer

These differ by state (for example, in Queensland, they are called WorkCover Queensland) and responsibilities include assessing claims and deciding on compensation, financial entitlements and ongoing benefits, as well as coordinating the rehabilitation and return to work plan for the injured worker.

Health Providers

These are tasked with assisting in the ongoing clinical care of the worker in terms of assessing and treating their injuries. They are also responsible for completing a Work Capacity Certificate and providing medical advice to the worker, their employer and the insurer.

Injury Management Coordinator

This person may be engaged by the employer or an insurer to provide assistance with injury management, including developing rehabilitation, injury management and return to work plans, providing workplace assessments, and liaising with the medical practitioners involved.

Rehabilitation and Return to Work Plan

When undertaking return to work coordinator training, you will learn about rehabilitation and return to work plans. This is a document that outlines both the rehabilitation objectives for a worker and the steps that must be taken to achieve these objectives. The insurer is responsible for formulating this plan in consultation with medical practitioners, the worker and the employer.

The rehabilitation and return to work plan should include:

  • Information about the worker and who their support people are (including a RTW Coordinator if applicable).
  • Information about the suitable duties program.
  • The rehabilitation and return to work goals of the worker.
  • The advice of the medical practitioners on their return to work, treatment and capacities, and tasks/duties that should be avoided.
  • Any modifications or accommodations to the workplace that are required.
  • A schedule for reviewing the plan.

All stakeholders should sign and date the plan.

Injury Management Programs

Injury management programs in workplaces are designed to promote sustainable employment outcomes for individuals who have experienced an injury. These programs are an effective way of assisting workers to return to work and controlling the compensation costs for an employer. An injury management program documents the procedures that staff should follow when and after an injury occurs, and outline how the worker’s safe return to work can be facilitated. They should include:

  • Measurable goals.
  • Guidance on the compensation process.
  • Guidance for how the injured employee should be communicated with.
  • A framework for open communication between all stakeholders.
  • Expectations of all stakeholders and role clarity.
  • Related prevention and health promotion programs to minimise chances of future injury.
  • Guidance on how staff will be made aware of the injury management program.
  • Information on how conflicts or disputes will be managed.

Suitable Duties

If an injured worker cannot safely or practically return to their pre-injury tasks or duties, it is the responsibility of the employer to identify alternative tasks, duties or working arrangements. These are referred to as “suitable duties” and take into account the physical and psychological capacities and restrictions of the worker, any training required and a schedule for the duties to be performed.

The Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator is responsible for developing a suitable duties plan for the worker. If no suitable duties are able to be identified in a workplace, the employer should contact the insurer to discuss the possibility of the worker using their skills and abilities at a different workplace while they recover. This is known as “host employment”.

 

Gain the knowledge, skills and tools you need to manage a rehabilitation and return-to-work program and to work within a community rehabilitation environment with return to work coordinator training such as our Certificate of Rehabilitation and Return to Work Programming.

Rose Farming a Blooming Business

Rose farming really is a booming business, from cut flower production to perfume extraction, harvesting hips and rose oils! This flower’s popularity for business and pleasure truly is coming up roses! So, if you want to start your own blooming business in rose farming, take a look at our Certificate of Rose Production!

Certificate of Rose Production is an online professional development course that helps you identify, propagate and grow many different types of roses for a commercial rose crop. You will discover rose species and varieties pronunciation of rose names, as well as propagation, pruning, pest control and soil management techniques.

In this rose farming course, you’ll also learn to prepare a plan for a rose garden, produce drawings to scale, about the components of a greenhouse and hydroponic system for roses to create and manage a commercial rose crop for whatever venture takes your fancy!

Learning Outcomes

Outcomes achieved by undertaking our rose farming course include:

  • Distinguish between the morphology of different groups of roses.
  • Compile a resource collection of contacts to assist with the identification of roses.
  • Prepare a collection of photographs or illustrations of rose varieties.
  • Determine how to grow roses in your locality, detailing: soil preparation, planting, fertilising, staking, and watering in
  • Describe how to propagate roses, using various techniques including grafting, budding, layering and seeding
  • Identify the pests and diseases afflicting rose plants.
  • Differentiate between the culture and use in the garden of different types of roses, including climbers, miniatures, standards and bush roses.
  • Differentiate between the culture of roses in a greenhouse and the open ground.
  • Distinguish between the pruning of climbing, ramblers, bush, miniature and standard roses.
  • Compare the culture and application of hybrid teas, floribundas and polyanthas in a garden or nursery.
  • Determine appropriate rose varieties to be included in a proposed rose garden per given specifications.
  • Prepare a plan for a rose garden, including scale drawings, plant lists, materials lists and cost estimates.
  • Develop criteria for selecting rose varieties to grow as a commercial crop for a specified purpose.
  • Evaluate rose flowers offered for sale.
  • Determine factors critical to the production of various rose products, such as cut flower roses, rosehip syrup, rose oil, dried rose petals, nursery stock roses.

And more!

5 of The Most Fragrant Roses

If you stop to smell the roses, you’ll be interested in rose farming of the fragrant kind. Here are five of the most sweet-smelling roses around.

Mr Lincoln

A dark red, tall hybrid tea rose with an exquisite fragrance and long stems. These flowers are ideal for putting in vases and can be grown in hot Australian conditions!

Double Delight

A spicy-scented hybrid tea rose with a creamy centre and amazing smell! It grows as a bush to about 1.5 metres high, and while ideal in hot weather conditions, it doesn’t cope well with humidity.

Madame Anisette

A cream, apricot rose with an exquisite anise fragrance with hints of liquorice, spice and honey! It has large double blooms that do well in the warmer months, being easy to care for and heat resistant.

Perfume Passion

This beautiful rose has an intense fragrance of citrus, lychee and white peach! It has great form, healthy foliage and is ideal for picking.

Rosa Boscobel

This large, salmon-pink rose has a strong myrrh fragrance with hints of elderflower, pear and almond! It’s a busy shrub rose that flowers throughout summer.

25 Blooming Amazing Facts About Roses

Here are some fun facts about roses that you may not know … and a little inspiration for rose farming!

  1. Roses are relatively easy to grow – just plant them in a sunny spot and water them to keep the soil moist!
  2. The rose is associated with the Greek god Aphrodite – the goddess of love!
  3. There are over three hundred species of roses and tens of thousands of cultivated or hybrid roses!
  4. Roses don’t grow as a single flower–different species include shrubs, climbers, trailers and groundcovers.
  5. Wild roses only bloom once a year and are naturally pollinated by insects
  6. Most rose species are native to Asia
  7. Roses come in every colour of the rainbow – red, yellow, pink, orange, white and blue!
  8. The flowers of most roses have five petals
  9. A typical rose can live up to 35 years
  10. Rose petals are edible – they can be eaten raw, dried or soaked to make rose water
  11. Roses grow small, berry-like fruit called rosehip, which can be red, orange, purple and black
  12. Rose syrup is made by adding sugar to rose water
  13. Many roses are used in herbal and Chinese medicine
  14. You can make a rainbow rose by taking a white rose and splitting the stem into different bowls of dyed, coloured water. The rose absorbs the water, and it dyes the flower petals different colours.
  15. Most roses are deciduous – they shed their petals after flowering
  16. It takes 2000 roses to extract just one gram of rose oil used in perfume!
  17. Roses are one of the oldest flowers, dating back 35 million years
  18. A rose breeder spent 15 years breeding a rare rose named ‘Juliet’, which sold for $15.8 million!
  19. There’s no such thing as a black rose – they may look black in some gardens, but they’re actually very dark red.
  20. The tallest ever recorded rose bush stands over seven metres tall!
  21. Rose colours have different meanings. Red – love, Yellow – friendship …
  22. Roses and Rosehips are full of vitamin C
  23. Yellow roses have come to symbolise friendship and caring, but historically they represented jealousy
  24. There is a Rose Hall of Fame, which contains world-famous roses. The World Federation of Rose Societies votes the roses into the Hall of Fame.
  25. In 1998, a rose named Overnight Sensation was sent to outer space!

Gain a comprehensive understanding of all aspects of rose farming with our online course, the Certificate of Rose Production.

Our Cat Care Course is Purrrfect for Animal Lovers!

Explore a new income stream, employment opportunity or understand and care for your own pet better with this cat care course. Ideal for cat owners, breeders, pet shop owners and attendants or those who work in animal welfare, our Domestic Cat Care course will give you insights into the primary care of domestic cats – including diet, shelter, grooming and housebreaking. You will also study complex feline care – from understanding digestive and reproductive health to illnesses, emergency medicine and care, problem behaviour and specialised dietary requirement.

You will also learn about breeding and raising kittens, from ethical considerations to genetics and socialisation, and how to establish a business in the feline services industry, including grooming, boarding, retail and manufacturing, therapy cats, pet funerals and more.

Learning Outcomes

Outcomes achieved by undertaking a cat care course include:

  • Learning about basic feline needs and the basic duets of a cat owner
  • Exploring food, water, shelter and containment, grooming, bathing and claw trimming
  • Gaining an understanding of travel, housebreaking and health care for sick cats
  • Studying how to introduce a new cat at home
  • Examining cats and dogs and cats with babies and children
  • Understanding cat breeds – pedigrees and non-pedigrees
  • Attaining knowledge of feline biology
  • Gaining insights into cats’ skin, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, tongue, teeth and gums
  • Learning about the digestive and reproductive systems
  • Exploring females (Queens) and males (Toms)
  • Gaining an understanding of domestic cat breeds and international and national associations
  • Studying long haired, semi-long haired and short-haired breeds.
  • Examining Persian, Maine Coon, Birman, Balinese, Ragdoll (Ragamuffin), York Chocolate, American Shorthair, Cornish Rex and Russian Blue
  • Understanding Siamese, Sphynx, Manx, Scottish Fold, Japanese Bobtail, Egyptian Mau and Singapura
  • Attaining knowledge of characteristics, common health problems, personality and temperaments and care
  • Gaining insights into history and background
  • Learning about feline health care, preventative care, vaccinations and how to recognise ill health
  • Exploring how to deal with emergencies, artificial breathing and heart massage and how to induce vomiting
  • Gaining an understanding of how to deal with burns, wounds, dehydration, hypothermia, poisoning, wounds, shock (and many more)
  • Studying restraining for treatment and the transportation of an injured cat
  • Examining bandaging and de-sexing
  • Understanding feline illnesses
  • Attaining knowledge of internal parasites including roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms and whipworms
  • Gaining insights into lungworms, stomach worms, bladder worms and flukes
  • Learning about worm treatments and external (exo-) parasites
  • Examining how to breed and raise kittens and ethics in animal breeding
  • Understanding genes, sexual behaviour and the socialisation of kittens
  • Attaining knowledge of legislation
  • Gaining insights into meiosis and sexual behaviour
  • Learning about feline services including grooming services for short and long-haired cats
  • Examining laws and small business, the importance of keeping records and how to buy an established business
  • Understanding how to buy a franchise and approaches to business planning

And more!

The Worlds Rarest Cats

In our cat care course you will learn about a wide range of cat species, but here are some of the rarer varieties from across the globe.

  • Lykoi – One of the rarest cat breeds, it is also known as the werewolf cat breed. They are a domestic, short-hair cat with a natural genetic mutation that gives them a distinctive and somewhat creepy appearance!
  • Savannah – Also known as the Ashera cat, this is a hybrid cat breed that is a cross between a domestic cat and an African Serval. These tall and slim cats display large ears and a spotted coat that give them a distinctively wild appearance.
  • Chausie – This is another hybrid cat breed that is a cross between a domestic cat and a Felis Chaus jungle cat. They are tall and slim with broad ears, very long legs and prominent cheekbones.
  • Serengeti – This breed is a cross between an Oriental Shorthair and a Bengal cat. They are spotted, slim and slinky and beautiful to look at.
  • Kurilian Bobtail – These cats have fluffy coats and pom-pom tails. They love water and are active, loyal and friendly.
  • Manx – This is a tailless cat that hails from the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea. Manx cats are smart and sometimes exhibit dog-like in behaviour.
  • Ocicat – The Ocicat looks wild but is an entirely domesticated cat breed originating from a mix of Abyssinian, Siamese and silver tabby.
  • Korat – These cats have sparkling green eyes and a heart-shaped face. They have been bred in Thailand for centuries and are loyal, dominating and intelligent.
  • LaPerm – This breed is similar to Devon Rex and Cornish Rex however a dominant gene gives them a distinctive curly coat which resembles a salon fresh perm!
  • Somali – Often referred to as the long-haired Abyssinian, a rarely occurring recessive gene gives the Somali cat its lovely long coat.

Fascinating Cat Facts

After some motivation to undertake our cat care course? Read on …

  1. In terms of development, the first year of a cat’s life is equal to the first 15 years of a human life. After its second year, a cat is 25 in human years. And after that, each year of a cat’s life is equal to about 7 human years.
  2. Cats can rotate their ears 180 degrees.
  3. The hearing of the average cat is at least five times keener than that of a human adult.
  4. A cat cannot see directly under its nose.
  5. Most cats have no eyelashes.
  6. Cats have five toes on each front paw, but only four on the back ones. It’s not uncommon, though, for cats to have extra toes.
  7. Cats spend between 30 to 50 percent of their day grooming themselves.
  8. Purring doesn’t always mean a cat is happy. Cats also make the sound when they’re sick, hurt, stressed or giving birth.
  9. A group of kittens is a kindle. A group of full-grown cats is called a clowder.
  10. If you love cats, you’re an ailurophile. It’s derived from the Greek word for cat, ailouros, and the suffix –phile, meaning “lover.”
  11. Cats first went to space in 1963. The feline’s name was Félicette and she made it safely to the ground following a parachute descent.
  12. The world’s oldest living cat is 31 years old. The average lifespan of a cat is 12 to 18 years.
  13. Cats don’t always land on their feet, however, more often than not all four paws end up touching the ground. This is because cats have a fantastic sense of balance, so they’re able to tell up from down and adjust their bodies accordingly.
  14. The musical Cats is based on a collection of author T.S. Eliot poems called Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats which was published in 1939.
  15. One in 200 cats are believed to have asthma – and this number continues to rise among as they are more frequently exposed to dust, cigarette smoke, pollen and human dandruff.
  16. Ancient Egyptians loved cats and worshipped a half-feline goddess named Bastet. People who harmed or killed cats faced harsh legal sentences, including the death penalty.
  17. Cats are believed to be the only mammals that can’t taste sweetness.
  18. Your cat has more bones than you do – 244 compared to a human’s 206.
  19. Most cats don’t like getting wet because they lose control.
  20. Cats sweat through their paws and sometimes when they get very hot they pant.
  21. Beyond grooming all the time, a cat spends nearly two-thirds of its life asleep.
  22. Approximately 200 feral cats roam the grounds of Disneyland where they help control the amusement park’s rodent population.
  23. Quotation marks have a feline connection. The Hungarian word for “quotation marks,” macskaköröm, literally translates to “cat claws.”
  24. Cats can jump up to five times their own height.
  25. Their claws all curve downward, which means that they can’t climb down trees head first – they have to back down the trunk.
  26. Cats have whiskers on the backs of their front legs as well.
  27. They have the largest eyes relative to their head size of any mammal.
  28. Cats find it threatening when you make direct eye contact with them.
  29. Certain cats go crazy for foods you wouldn’t expect like potato chips and olives.
  30. Unlike humans, cats can drink sea water in order to survive.
  31. Cats dream, just like us!
  32. Every cat’s nose print is unique, much like human fingerprints.

 Gain a comprehensive understanding of all aspects of cat care with a cat care course such as our Domestic Cat Care course.

Update Your Skills With an Office Administration Course!

Skilled office workers are always in demand. Make sure you have the edge! Develop the skills and knowledge necessary for the efficient and productive operation of an office with an office administration course. Our Office Skills and Practicescourse will improve your prospects of working in an office or help you to make your own office more efficient.

You will learn about the modern office – from serviced office space to hot-desking and meeting rooms for hire – and how to operate and improve equipment, technology and office processes. Also, discover phone, business writing and computer skills and learn important workplace health and safety practices. Plus, study standard office communication systems and processes, including email, Chat, shorthand, audio-systems and voice recognition technology, and interpersonal communication in the office environment.

Learning Outcomes

Outcomes achieved by undertaking an office administration course include:

  • Learning about the modern office, the scope and nature of office work, where to work and having an office at home
  • Exploring how to lease an office and serviced offices
  • Gaining an understanding of hot-desking, meeting rooms for hire and the functions of an office
  • Studying common jobs within an office, departments within an organisation and office equipment
  • Examining information technology and office processes
  • Understanding communication systems, email, chat, the internet, telephones, mobile phones and fax machines
  • Attaining knowledge of 2-way radios, courier services, rail services, shorthand and audio systems
  • Gaining insights into using audio recordings, electronic dictation and voice recognition software
  • Learning about electronic communications and modes of electronic communication
  • Exploring voice and image communication equipment
  • Gaining an understanding of communication networks, electronic mail and email norms
  • Studying the kinds, modes and pathways of communication and how to communicate effectively
  • Examining the factors affecting interpersonal communication, awareness and intent, reactive patterns and how to become an effective communicator
  • Understanding client relations, interpersonal workplace relations and the communication process
  • Attaining knowledge of strategies for better communication, communicating with clients and different kinds of communicators
  • Gaining insights into email and electronic communication
  • Learning about giving and receiving instructions and how to handle complaints
  • Exploring phone skills, telephone techniques and telephone answering when an office is unattended
  • Gaining an understanding of office stationery and good business writing
  • Studying memos, memoranda, sample memos, business letters and letter structure
  • Examining sample letters, letter formats, business reports and report formats
  • Understanding editing, proofreading and language
  • Attaining knowledge of computer applications, word processing programs and spreadsheets
  • Gaining insights into databases, communication and graphics
  • Learning about multimedia and new media and the types of computers and software
  • Exploring computer specifications, viruses, virus protection and optical drives
  • Gaining an understanding of CD-ROM / CD-R / CD-RW, DVD-ROM / DVD-R / DVD-RW / BD-ROM / BD-RW.
  • Studying peripherals, printers, modems and scanners
  • Examining office organisation and procedures and how to organise data and classify information
  • Understanding filing, designing and using a filing system and saving a Word document
  • Attaining knowledge of record keeping, filing systems and filing procedures
  • Gaining insights into active and inactive records and organising office space and work.
  • Learning about the considerations when planning work schedules
  • Exploring how to establish priorities, improve results and time management strategies
  • Gaining an understanding of health and safety in the office
  • Studying power leads, outlets and VDU equipment
  • Examining lifting and manual handling, fatigue in the workplace, stages of fatigue and fatigue between work sessions
  • Understanding recovery from strenuous mental activity, stress management and ways to avoid unnecessary stress
  • Attaining knowledge of office security,legal restraints and legal risks
  • Gaining insights into legal risks, copyright, defamation, privacy and law and the internet

And more!

Office Skills Employers are Looking For

When employers are searching for potential office administrators, they are looking for specific skills to help the office run smoothly and thrive. Here are a few important skills you will learn in our office administration course that will enhance your CV.

Basic computer literacy skills

Much of an office administrator’s position involves working on a computer. Google Docs or Microsoft Word can also be essential for those who need to draft important notes, write reports, and record the minutes from meetings. In order to input clerical information and data like company performance data, office inventory and customer information, they will often need knowledge of Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel. If office administrators are required to perform minor accounting duties, financial tracking software like

QuickBooks may be expected.

Organisational skills

Office administrators are responsible for the organisation of many projects and documents, and these are often confidential . Hence, having basic organisational skills in order to file, source and store items is vital.

Strategic planning and scheduling skills

In order for an office or company to run smoothly, someone must be in charge of scheduling and strategic planning. Office administrators typically schedule events, meetings and customer appointments for managers, and often for the entire organisation. This requires excellent strategic planning skills to make sure schedules align and do not overwhelm scheduled participants.

Time-management skills

Office administrators should be equipped to handle troubleshooting and flexibility in dynamic environments as they are often assigned several tasks regularly, often unexpectedly. Some tasks may also have strict deadlines, and time-management skills can help prioritise these tasks.

Verbal and written communication skills

Office administrators are often the first point of contact for employees and clients. They greet customers, answer phones, schedule appointments and address questions. Therefore, employers often demand potential candidates have a positive attitude and top notch communication skills.

Critical thinking skills

Offices are prone to the unexpected and critical thinking and problem-solving skills can help office administrators overcome each challenge as it occurs. This includes organising maintenance and navigating employee issues. If a problem occurs and they can’t find an immediate solution, it’s up to them to think critically and find a creative solution to the problem.

Quick-learning skills

If a manager needs a project completed using an unfamiliar software or the office switches to a new scheduling system, the office administrator may be expected to adapt and learn t to this new method or technology. Therefore office administrators should be quick learners that are flexible and can easily develop skills to increase productivity and efficiency.

Attention to detail

Mistakes happen, and office administrators are often charged with flagging any issues and correcting them before clients see them. They should also be detail-oriented and able to ensure any company documents are factual and error-free.

2022’s Best Business Software

When you undertake an office administration course, you will become familiar with a range of business software that will enhance your skills and your organisation’s efficiency. Because there is so much competition in the market, smaller and cheaper packages can be just as good – although, as the saying goes, you get what you pay for! However, some of the more expensive software suites sometimes have a free tier so you can try it out and see if it is suitable. Here are some of the best small business software currently available according to Tech Radar.

Microsoft 365

There are many rivals, but Microsoft Office is still the best office software suite, and Microsoft 365 delivers a cloud version you can use on the go as well as in the office or at home. If you’ve used Microsoft Office before you’ll easily find your way around this platform. Many suppliers and contractors also use it, so it’s easy to swap, share or send send files without any issues.

Sage Accounting

The top Sage Accounting plan offers decent value and there is also a 30-day free trial. This allows you to manage invoices and quotes, handle and submit tax online, and perform reconciliation and cash flow (to name a few) from your desktop or via a mobile app. If you run into trouble, video tutorials and detailed web help is only a click away, with the offer of “free unlimited 24/7 telephone and email support”.

Asana

If you have multiple projects to manage, Asana can help you work out who should be doing what at any moment which maximises the chances of everything being completed by deadline. Asana integrates well with more than a hundred other products and services, including Slack, Gmail, Dropbox, Salesforce etc. so is flexible enough to fit into whatever workflow you have currently set up.

Slack

This communications platform has helped transform the way a lot of small business teams keep in touch. It offers real-time messaging in mobile apps, web browsers and desktop clients. Team members can chat one on one, in groups, or in channels based around topics (finances, sales, products etc).

Avast Business Antivirus

This is an excellent business endpoint security software suite, giving you various tools such as Firewall, antivirus, anti-spam and email protection. The free version of this security package has long been considered one of the best, but if value for money and simplicity are key factors, Avast Business Antivirus Pro could be a sensible choice.

Hubspot Marketing Hub

This is a platform that provides a range of tools for sales and market, content management and social media advertising. It has a wide-ranging toolkit to help improve conversions by offering options for content hosting, split testing along with targets and goals that can be tracked using Hubspot’s analytics software.

Bitrix24

This software provides a vast suite of powerful business tools from collaboration, telephony, instant messaging, document handling, project management, employee management, scheduling and more. If you prefer to keep things simple, then you can concentrate on the excellent customer relationship management (CRM), which is a capable system all on its own.

 

Feel confident to pursue office administration roles or improve your own business’s office operations and practices with an office administration course.

Animal Naturopathy – Treat Pets Naturally!

If you’re interested in a more holistic way to treat animals, this animal naturopathy course is ideal for you! Whether you’re a vet, vet nurse, animal shelter worker, breeder, groomer or anyone who owns or works with pests, you’ll find this course enlightening.

Certificate of Natural Animal Health Care is an online professional development course that will show you how to treat animals naturally and holistically to optimise animal health.

In this online animal naturopathy course, you will discover the importance of holistic therapies, such as naturopathy, homeopathy, herbal medicine, tactile therapy and nutrition to boost animal health and wellbeing.

You will also learn to recognise common diseases and health problems in animals and develop an understanding of natural treatments.

So, if you want to feel confident to develop natural treatment plans for animals to boost health and wellbeing, take a look at what you’ll learn in this animal naturopathy course.

What You’ll Learn

Outcomes achieved when you study our animal naturopathy course:

  • Limitations of conventional medicine
  • Holistic treatments, homeopathy, flower essences, naturopathy, natural nutrition, tactile therapy (massage, equine tactile therapy, Bowen therapy, canine myofunctional therapy, physiotherapy, shiatsu, reflexology, osteopathy, chiropractic, acupuncture, microcurrent, microwave therapies, ayurvedic medicine, traditional Chinese medicine)
  • Codes of practice for animal welfare
  • Health & safety in veterinary practice (separating animals, infectious diseases, containing disease, disposal of dead/infected tissues, dangerous non-animal wastes, storage & handling of supplements/equipment).
  • Signs of ill health
  • Normal vital signs, recognising ill health, disease diagnosis, homeopathic remedies, signs of shock, signs of internal bleeding, signs of poisoning, first aid
  • Natural nutrition for animals
  • The effect of modern living on domestic animals
  • Processed pet foods, poor nutrition and animal behaviour
  • Good nutrition for domesticated animals
  • Nutritional problems in animals (allergies, dermatitis, overweight, underweight, liver disease, livestock (mineral supplements for farm animals, nutritional supplements)
  • Holistic health care and maintaining health
  • Creating a healthy environment (domestic pets, livestock)
  • Health maintenance
  • Preventing arthritis in dogs
  • The vaccination debates
  • Pet dental care, flea control, disease prevention in livestock, preventing disease in poultry, avian influenza
  • Treating health problems
  • Naturopathic treatment, homeopathic treatment, herbalism, treating common ailments (arthritis, skin problems, digestive complaints, diabetes, dental problems
  • Pain management, identifying pain, pain relief medication
  • Behavioural problems (dogs-excessive barking, digging, aggression, phobias)
  • Animal diseases & health problems (livestock)
  • Notifiable diseases, control of internal parasites
  • Horses (tetanus, lockjaw, strangles, parasites, colic, equine influenza)
  • Evaluate symptoms of ill-health displayed by an animal, determine the problem, and decide on a natural course of treatment for the animal’s specific health problem.
  • Develop a management plan to help treat health problems and relieve associated pain and discomfort.

And more …

What is Naturopathy for Animals?

Animal naturopathy is an alternative healing modality that uses natural, non-invasive and drug-free treatment methods to prevent and heal ill health in animals. There are many treatment modalities for animals, which you’ll learn about in our animal naturopathy course.

Naturopathy treats the whole animal, rather than just symptoms of disorder or disease, to balance overall health and wellbeing. Most animals generally respond well to natural therapies as they’re safe and non-toxic.

What Conditions Can Be Treated?

All animals can benefit from natural therapies – dogs, cats, pigs, cows, goats, horses, birds, chickens, guinea pigs – and many conditions can be successfully treated with naturopathy, but some of the most common include:

  • Skin disorders such as eczema, flea allergy, warts, ringworm and mange
  • Ear problems
  • Mites and infections
  • Eye problems
  • Arthritis
  • Allergies
  • Flea and tick control
  • Kidney, heart and liver problems
  • Chronic infections
  • Digestive disorders
  • Dental health – gum disease
  • Excess weight
  • Behavioural issues

8 Types of Holistic Health Care for Animals

  1. Homeopathy

Homeopathy is a gentle yet powerful medicine that works by stimulating an animal’s own ability to heal. It can stimulate the body to react to disease, reduce inflammation, ease pain, kill germs and restore balance.

  1. Flower Essences

Flower essences can be used to treat emotional, physical and behavioural problems in animals. Essences can restore energy balance, heal underlying negative emotional states that can lead to excessive barking, litterbox avoidance, separation anxiety and obsessive-compulsive behaviours.

  1. Bowen Therapy

Bowen therapy in animals is much the same as in human patients. The treatment involves soft-touch movement of fingers over muscle, ligament, tendon and fascia at specific points of the animal’s body. It’s a gentle, non-invasive technique that promotes healing, pain relief and whole animal wellbeing.

  1. Canine Myofunctional Therapy

Canine myofunctional therapy (CMT) is a holistic therapeutic treatment that involves remedial massage of soft tissue and prescribed stretching techniques. It’s in rehabilitation after injury or illness, but it also has many other benefits from reducing anxiety to improving circulation, organ function and even the condition of skin and coat.

  1. Ayurvedic Medicine

Ayurveda is an ancient healing science that originated in India. Ayurvedic herbs can treat many conditions, from eczema to indigestion and also help boost immunity in pets.

  1. Traditional Chinese Medicine

Traditional Chinese medicine involves acupuncture and herbal medicine to support the body’s self-healing. While initially developed for human diseases, it can be applied to pet health problems, such as arthritis, gastrointestinal disorders, immune system disorders, endocrine or organ dysfunction, anxiety and behavioural issues and many more.

  1. Acupuncture

There are more than 300 acupuncture points recognised in animals, and each achieves a reaction in the body! Acupuncture heals and regenerates mechanisms in the body so it can function to its full potential. Acupuncture also stimulates nerve reflexes, which stimulate certain organs in an animal’s body. It’s also an alternative to animal surgery when pet owners don’t have the means to pay for an operation.

  1. Nutrition

Pet nutritionists can create nutritious, and customised raw meal plans to promote health and wellbeing in their animal patients. A healthy diet can promote shiny coats, dental health, improved mobility, resistance to fleas and parasites, immunity, life expectancy … and more.

 

Gain the knowledge and skills required to prescribe a natural course of treatment for an animal with an animal naturopathy course, like our Certificate of Animal Naturopathy course!

Smash Sales Targets With a Business Planning Course

Ideal for business managers, small business owners and budding entrepreneurs, our Develop and Implement Business Plans course will enable you to discover opportunities but also the potential obstacles you may face when launching or evaluating your business.

In this business planning course you learn how to get the support you need (financial or otherwise), carry out PEST and SWOT analyses and develop employee performance reports to assist in coaching and training under-performers. You will also gain insights into Triple Bottom Line (TBL), Triple Top Line (TTL) value production, how to align your business plan with your company’s goals and develop marketing plans, cash flow forecasts and operational, strategic and contingency plans.

Learning Outcomes

Outcomes achieved by undertaking a business planning course include:

  • Learning how to establish a business plan
  • Exploring how to draw up a plan
  • Gaining an understanding of how to develop a business plan
  • Studying the inclusions for a business plan
  • Examining marketing plans
  • Understanding cash flow forecasts
  • Attaining knowledge of existing businesses
  • Gaining insights into operational plans (developing a plan and inclusions)
  • Learning about strategic plans
  • Exploring senior management
  • Gaining an understanding of PEST and SWOT analyses
  • Studying environment and society
  • Examining Triple Bottom Line (TBL)
  • Understanding Triple Top-Line Value Production (TTL)
  • Attaining knowledge of continuous improvement
  • Gaining insights into communication to all relevant parties
  • Learning about the availability of required resources
  • Exploring contingency plans
  • Gaining an understanding of communication
  • Studying performance reports
  • Examining how to analyse employee performance
  • Understanding coaching and training with those who underperform
  • Attaining knowledge of performance reports

 

And more!

 

Components of a Business Plan

Whether you are planning to open your own business or just keen to recharge your business strategies, you will typically review your business holistically in order to understand how it differs from its competitors. A successful business plan will:

  • Provide lenders, investors and potential partners with an understanding of your company’s structure and goals.
  • Provide insights into what resources are needed to reach those goals.
  • Establish a clear timeline of when your company can expect to achieve those goals.
  • Offer a clear way to track progress as your company grows.
  • Enable business owners to predict and plan for potential risks.

Every business is different so your business plan will no doubt look very different from other businesses, but, as you’ll learn in our business planning course, there are a number of key components that most business plans cover.

Executive Summary

This typically appears first in a business plan and should summarise what you expect your business to accomplish. It is meant to highlight what you intend to cover in the rest of the plan, should be compelling and include your business’ mission statement along with a short description of your company’s products and services. It is also worth including personal details about your experience in any relevant industries.

Business Description

A company description includes key information about your business, target market and goals. In this section, you should explain why your business stands out from other competitors in the industry and outline its strengths, including solutions it offers to customers and the competitive advantages that will give your business the edge it needs to succeed.

Market Analysis

In this section, you will illustrate that you have a key understanding of the ins and outs of the industry and specific markets. You should substantiate the strengths you highlighted in the Company Description with statistics and data that breakdown industry trends. You could also illustrate what other competitors are doing and how they are succeeding or failing. A Market Analysis should also help visualise your target market — their income, what their buying habits are, what services they want and need etc. Essentially, this section should help explain why your business can do it better!

Competitive Analysis

As you’ll learn in our business planning course, a key component of a business plan is the Competitive Analysis. This section will present a clear comparison of your business versus your direct and indirect competitors. It’s also where you provide your knowledge of the industry by breaking down their strengths and weaknesses. The end goal here is to show how your business will or does stack up. If you are launching a new business and there are issues that could prevent you from entering the market, this is where you need to be forthcoming.

Management and Organisation

In this section, you should outline how your organisation is set up. Here is where you introduce your management team and summarise their skills and primary job responsibilities. Flow charts are ideal visual tools for explaining a company’s chain of command. Also, don’t forget to highlight whether your business is a sole proprietorship, operates as a partnership or has a different ownership structure. If you have a board of directors, details should be included in this section as well.

Products and Services

While your Company Description is an overview, a detailed breakdown of your products and services is vital to giving readers a fuller description about the product you are creating and selling, how long they could last and how they will meet existing demand. Here you should mention your suppliers as well as other information about the cost of making your products and how much income you hope to achieve. You should also outline any relevant patents and copyright concerns as well.

Marketing Plan

This section is where you describe how you intend to generate leads and get your products and services in front of your target market. It should detail the outreach and PR campaigns to be undertaken, including how your business will measure the effect of these. The components of a marketing plan can include market research, tailored messaging, marketing platforms including digital, online, radio, magazines etc. and metrics that measure marketing efforts.

Sales Strategy

This section should outline how you will “sell” the products or services that you intend to offer. It must be specific and can include details of how many sales reps you intend to hire, how you will recruit them and what your sales targets will be.

Request for Funding

If you after funding, this section outlines the amount of money you need to set up your business and how you plan to use the capital you are raising. Here it’s also worth including a timeline for additional funding you may require to complete other important projects.

Financial Projections

This final section breaks down the financial goals and expectations that you’ve set based on market research. This includes anticipated revenue for the first 12 months of your annual projected earnings as well as for the second, third, forth and fifth years of business. If you are seeking a small business loan, you should also provide the required financial and background information.

 

Gain the confidence to develop and implement a successful business plan with a business planning course such as our Develop and Implement Business Plans course.

How to Grow Ferns So Your Garden Flourishes!

Ideal for landscapers, gardeners, horticulturalists, environmentalists, those who work in nurseries, plant collectors, land managers or anyone with a passion for plants, this course on how to grow ferns will give how to identify and propagate these plants in baskets, terrariums and in a variety of landscapes.

The Introduction to Australian Native Ferns will teach you how to plant, mulch, water, prune, feed and protect ferns from pests and disease. You will also learn about the classification of ferns, different varietals, horticultural values, and how to make the best use of native ferns for your garden or landscaping project.

Learning Outcomes

Outcomes achieved by undertaking a course on how to grow ferns include:

  • Learning about plant families and plant names (common and scientific names)
  • Exploring classification (family and genera) and how to use reference books
  • Gaining an understanding of how to contact organisations
  • Studying journals, magazines and online resources
  • Examining fern culture, environmental zones in Australia and understanding soils and root media
  • Understanding soil degradation, erosion and salinity, problems with soils and soil compaction and acidification
  • Attaining knowledge of drainage, chemical residues, poor soil structure, compaction and surface crusting
  • Gaining insights into low lying land, increased runoff from neighbouring areas and hydrophobic (water repelling) soils
  • Learning about the use of organic principles to help overcome soil problems and how to reduce erosion and weeds
  • Exploring how to provide soil from drying out, providing a source of nutrients and providing a buffer against temperature variations
  • Gaining an understanding of soil pH, plant nutrition, earthworms and pests
  • Studying organic, home made, diatomaceous earth, quassia, garlic, rhubarb, mustard, stinging nettle, chamomile and eucalyptus sprays
  • Examining soapy water, pyrethrum, mustard dust and white cedar (melia azaderach)
  • Understanding division, bulbils, and spore and vegetative propagation
  • Attaining knowledge of tissue culture, laying, cuttings and spore propagation
  • Gaining insights into collecting spores, equipment and materials and sowing spores
  • Learning about selection and development and selecting plants for the new world
  • Exploring materials and methods, suggested ferns for cultivation and the propagation from spores of selected Tasmanian ferns
  • Gaining an understanding of commonly grown ferns and varieties including Adiantum (maidenhair Fern), Dicksonia (tree ferns), Cyathea (tree fern), Platycerium (staghorn/elkhorn), Pteridium (bracken) and Todea (tree fern)
  • Studying native ferns, Cyathea cyatheaceae, Dicksonia dicksoniaceae, Blechnum (water ferns), Asplenium (spleenwort), Nephrolepis (sword fern/fishbone) and Pteris (brake/dish fern/table fern)
  • Examining Apteropteris (filmy fern), Cheilanthes (adiantaceae), Cyrtomium (holly fern), Davallia (haresfoot or rabbitsfoot fern), Doodia (rasp fern), Gleichenia (coral fern), Schizaea Schizaeceae (comb fern) and Sticherus (fan fern)
  • Understanding how to make the best use of ferns including in baskets, epiphytes, terrariums, tubs and water gardens
  • Attaining knowledge of planting design procedures including the pre-planning phase, developing a preliminary concept plan and developing a final plan
  • Gaining insights into climate considerations, copying nature and aesthetics
  • Learning about potting up plants, potting mixes and how to prevent moss and algae in pots

Fascinating Fern Facts

Ferns are one of the oldest plant species on earth and grew on our planet even before the emergence of the first dinosaurs! Here are some fascinating facts that will inspire you to learn more about how to grow ferns.

  • Today there are almost 11,000 species of fern-like plants known as Polypodiopsida.
  • Millions of years ago, there were huge tree-like ferns Psaronius on Earth. They grew up to 10 metres in length, and the diameter of their trunk could easily reach a met
  • Ferns do not have flowers as they reproduce by spores. They also don’t have leaves. What looks like leaves are actually a set of branches fused in one plane and they are called fronds.
  • Some ferns (like Lianas) lead a parasitic lifestyle and use trees to climb up to the canopy in search of direct sunlight, strangling the tree on their way.
  • The native Australian fern, Dixonia antarctica, can grow up to 15 metres tall with a trunk of up to two metres in diameter.
  • The wind helps ferns to spawn. Sometimes it spreads its spores to a distance of hundreds of kilometres from the mother plant, and, once on suitable soil, they germinate.
  • Huge tree ferns grow very slowly, on average at a rate of three to five centimetres per year. But they live for a long time, and some specimens with a height of 10 metres have probably been living for two or three centuries.
  • One of the most common fern genera in the world is bracken, also known as Pteridium aquilinum. It is toxic, which sometimes leads to problems if it is eaten by farm animals.
  • The smallest fern in the world grows in water. It is called Azolla cristata and usually grows from 0.5 to 1.5 centimetres. In Asia, it is specially grown and used as an effective fertiliser for rice fields.
  • The Wet Tropics is home to 65 per cent of Australia’s fern species.

Popular Australian Ferns  

Ferns may look fragile and gentle, but they are among the one of the toughest survivors in the plant world. In Australia, we have around 420 varieties and they differ in both shape and form. They are relatively easy to grow and maintain and are fantastic for shady and low-light areas. The majority of ferns are evergreen plants and there are a number of species that will thrive both indoors and outdoors. If you studying our course on how to grow ferns, you may be interested in some of the more popular varieties in Australia.

Ferns to add height

  • Rough or scaly tree ferns like Cyathea australis contain sap-conducting tissue, so their trunks must not be severed.
  • Soft tree ferns like Dicksonia antarctica perch on trunks composed of dead material, and their roots weave through the trunk, holding it together.
  • Mini tree ferns are ideal for smaller areas like courtyards and in containers on patios. The trunk of the Brazilian tree fern (Neoblechnum) grows to a humble 1.5 metres tall.

Ferns to mount on trees

Young ferns can be grown in pots and then should be removed and the roots wrapped in tea tree bark. They can then be attached to rough-barked trees by anchoring them with pantyhose. Ferns placed just above a branch will have extra anchorage.

  • Elkhorn and Staghorn ferns (Platycerium) grow slowly into large, heavy plants. Their upright fronds collect leaf litter and form natural compost.
  • Bird’s Nest Ferns (Asplenium australasicum) grow in pots, the ground or on trees. Asplenium antiquum “Victoria” has spectacular wavy fronds.

Ferns as ground covers

Ferns that have runners that weave above or just below the ground include:

  • Gristle Fern (Blechnum cartilagineum) is a weed-suppressing ground cover plant that grows to around one metre high. Its new growth fronds darken from pink to a beautiful bronze.
  • Rough Maidenhair (Adiantum hispidulum) produces new fronds that are decorative and pink.
  • Lacy Ground Fern (Dennstaedtia davallioides) produces beautiful frothy foliage.
  • Hare’s Foot Fern (Davallia) has foliage which resembles hare or rabbit feet. The native Davallia pyxidata prefers rocks or shallow soil.

Ferns to grow in clumps

With short runners, these ferns form easily managed clumps:

  • Mother Shield Fern (Polystichum proliferum) is a clumping, frost-tolerant fern with fronds that may reach a metre long when moist.
  • Prickly Rasp Fern (Doodia aspera) can be grown in sunshine or semi-shade and has lovely spring growth.
  • Holly Fern (Cyrtomium falcatum) produces glossy fronds up to 60 centimetres

Ferns for indoors

If you want to enjoy ferns inside, here are some happy housemates:

  • Maidenhair (Adiantum aethiopicum) has beautiful fresh foliage and will thrive with good drainage.
  • Cretan Brake (Pteris cretica) is a hardy plant that is a compact fern that comes in variegated forms.
  • Commonly referred to as the Macho Fern or Swordfern, the Fishbone Fern (Nephrolepis) is a genus of around 30 species of fern and is tough and resilient with long, tapering fronds.

Unique ferns

Two examples of uniquely different ferns include:

  • Climbing Maidenhair (Lygodium microphyllum) may have fronds that reach 30 metres when mature, although if grown in pots, they are much more compact.
  • Tassel Ferns or Clubmoss, (Huperzia phlegmaria) are botanically unrelated to ferns, but enjoy similar growing conditions – high humidity, shelter and frequent watering.

 

Gain a comprehensive understanding and awareness of how to grow and care for a range of ferns with a course on how to grow ferns, such as our Introduction to Australian Native Ferns.

Learn How to Choose the Best Herbs for Cooking!

If you’re not familiar with herbs, you may wonder which are the best herbs for cooking. While it’s widely known that herbs are essential ingredients to flavour international dishes – from Africa to Asia and everywhere in-between – there’s more to herbs than meets the eye.

That’s where our Certificate of Culinary Herbs shines with tips, advice and methods to help you grow, harvest and use herbs in your dishes! This online cooking course is ideal for gardeners, herb farmers, cooks, chefs or anyone interested in extending their culinary skills.

In this online cooking course, you will discover how to identify and grow edible herbs, drying methods to preserve flavour, methods for improving soil, water management, propagation, dealing with pests, disease and environmental problems, and establishing herb plants.

You will also learn about harvesting roots, leaves, seeds and fruits of herbs and hints for using herbs in cooking, including meals, herbal teas, vinegars, oils, butters, cheeses, salts, sugars and honey.

Take a look at what you’ll learn on completion of this exciting new culinary herbs for cooking course!

What You’ll Learn

Outcomes achieved when you study how to use herbs for cooking your culinary favourites!

  • Herbs and horticulture
  • Accurately identifying herbs
  • Plant classification and binomial system
  • Pronouncing plant names
  • Plant nutrition and fertilisers
  • Water management for herbs
  • Diagnosing plant health problems
  • Pests, disease and environmental problems
  • Planting, staking, and establishing herb plants
  • Propagation of herbs
  • Seed propagation
  • Cutting propagation
  • Potting media
  • Division, separation and layering
  • Rejuvenation of perennials
  • Designing a culinary herb garden
  • Creating a kitchen garden
  • Planning a fragrant herb garden
  • Companion planting in your design
  • Cooking with herbs
  • Harvesting herbs; roots, leaves, seed, fruits
  • Handling after harvest
  • Drying herbs
  • Hints for using a range of selected herbs in cooking
  • Herbs for garnish
  • Herbal teas: what & how to use different herbs
  • Herb vinegars, oils, butters, cheeses, salts, sugars, honey
  • Herb confectionary, cakes, etc.
  • Selected herb recipes
  • Using herbs with fruit
  • Review of many common culinary herbs, including their culture and culinary use

And more …

What are Culinary Herbs?

Culinary herbs are aromatic, edible plants used in small quantities to add flavour dishes – and knowledge of them will help make you a more adventurous cook! Ten of the most popular herbs for cooking include basil, chives, mint, parsley, coriander, rosemary, thyme, oregano and dill. 

10 Most Popular Herbs for Cooking

  1. Basil

Basil is a delicious and versatile member of the mint family. It has glossy, dark green pointy leaves with a sweet and savoury flavour. There are many different varieties of basil, including sweet basil, Thai basil, holy basil and lemon basil. And there are many more ways to use this popular herb, from topping pizzas to adding pizzazz to Asian curries! One of the most loved sauces, pesto, also relies on basil as a main ingredient!

  1. Chives

Scrambled eggs, anyone? A member of the allium family, this popular herb has a subtle oniony flavour with a hint of garlic. Chives pair well with many dishes, from cream cheese to Asian cooking, and is also an attractive garnish!

  1. Mint

Mint is the coolest of the culinary herbs. If you’re looking to herbs for cooking – look no further than this little treasure for cooling. Mint has a subtly sweet flavour that has a cooling effect due to the menthol in the herb. It’s popular in Vietnamese rice paper rolls, stir-fries and is an excellent addition to tea in dried form.

  1. Parsley

Parsley is a common herb in Middle Eastern dishes and as a garnish in soups, stews, dips. It’s well known for its fresh flavour, splash of colour and versatility. There are two main types of parsley, including French (curly leaf) and Italian (flat leaf). Parsley has a fresh, clean taste with a hint of pepper and citrus.

  1. Coriander

You’ve probably heard that you’re either a lover or a hater when it comes to coriander, most likely due to its unique and powerful flavour. It’s also one of the oldest herbs and spices on record, dating back to 5000 BC. Coriander is a popular addition to many dishes, including stir-fries, curries, salads, soups, and Thai fish cakes (yum)!

  1. Rosemary

Rosemary is a popular herb in Mediterranean cooking and grows wildly in Greece. Its’ a strong herb used to flavour meats and vegetables, so use sparingly in everything from roasts to soups, pasta sauces and even breads. It can be used as a whole sprig to flavour meals while cooking or chopped finely as an ingredient in many dishes.

  1. Thyme

Thyme has a distinctive earthy, minty and slightly lemony flavour that pairs well with all kinds of meat, poultry, fish, stews, soups, pastas and vegetables. While there are over a hundred varieties of thyme, the most common varieties include common thyme and lemon thyme.

  1. Oregano

Some of the most popular uses of oregano include the humble tomato – think pizza sauces and rich pasta dishes – but it’s also used in olive oils, Italian vinaigrettes and marinades for chicken, lamb and beef dishes.

  1. Dill

While dill is used primarily as a garnish, it’s also useful to add flavour to fish, soups, dressings and salads. But the longer it’s cooked, the less flavoursome it becomes so add it at the end of cooking.

  1. Tarragon

This anise-flavoured herb is perfect in soups, salads, egg dishes, stews and paired with soft cheese! Tarragon is also a wonderful addition to lamb, fish, steak and vegetables!

 

Gain the knowledge and skills required to improve your culinary prowess, learn how to use herbs in cooking with our online cooking course, the Certificate of Culinary Herbs!

Travel Photography Course to Capture It All!

Photography is a powerful way of capturing lifelong memories, particularly when travelling. But it can be challenging with the variables in weather, subjects, equipment limitations and legal considerations. Our Introduction to Travel Photography is ideal for photojournalists, travel photographers or anyone who wants to improve their travel photography skills.

This travel photography course will teach you how to use photography equipment skilfully, to adjust settings on digital cameras, and to sense how types of film respond to different situations and colours, such as backlight, haze, side light and reflected light.

You will learn about camera techniques, such as positioning, framing, timing and borrowed landscapes to creating various effects. You will also gain tips on how to photograph natural areas, such as seascapes and wilderness shots, as well as indoor scenes and candid and posed streetscapes.

Learning Outcomes

Outcomes achieved by undertaking a travel photography course include:

  • Learning how to travel with photo equipment and when to travel
  • Exploring the law and travel photography, digital cameras and whether to choose digital or film
  • Gaining an understanding of resources, cameras, films, filters, tripods and lenses and the best lenses for travel photography
  • Studying data storage, specific digital terminology and travelling tips
  • Examining the main principles of travel photography and compositions
  • Learning how to get better photos, asking permission before photographing people and putting subjects in context
  • Gaining insights into planning and preparation
  • Learning about animal photography and photographing animals in captivity and in the wild
  • Exploring how to photograph parks and gardens
  • Gaining an understanding of photographing streetscapes
  • Studying how to photograph buildings or architecture and photographing architecture at night
  • Examining how to photograph street festivals and events and street shops and markets
  • Understanding how to photograph interiors
  • Attaining knowledge of museums, churches and places of worship
  • Gaining insights into the interior photography for sharp images
  • Learning about solutions if a room is dark and how to make a room look larger
  • Exploring what to do if an interior appears unattractive
  • Gaining an understanding of how to develop your photographic style
  • Studying photographic atmosphere and themes
  • Examining the photo essay and how to demonstrate styles
  • Understanding how to use your work personally and professionally
  • Attaining knowledge of how to improve or alter your work
  • Gaining insights into copyright and storage and maintenance
  • Exploring creating different effects including seasonal effects
  • Gaining an understanding of viewpoints, aerial photography and photography on the move
  • Studying how to create effects, lighting principles and natural light

And more!

Popular Global Photography Locations

With the introduction of social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, the popularity of travel photography has increased even more. If you dream of snapping your own amazing shots, you may be wondering what some of the most photographed places in the world are. Of course, this list is subjective, certainly not exhaustive and you may disagree with the order, but nevertheless, it is great inspiration for our travel photography course when the world opens up again to visitors. There’s nothing like a bit of preparation to hone your skills!

#1 – New York City

Before the advent of COVID, this iconic and popular tourist destination attracted over 65 million tourists from around the world every year. Famous New York landmarks include the Empire State Building, Central Park and the Statue of Liberty. But surprisingly, the honour of the most photographed landmark in the city goes to the Guggenheim Museum, which was designed by architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, and opened its doors in 1959. It houses an impressive collection of contemporary and modern art and is a stunning cylindrical building that features a continuous spiral ramp.

#2 – Paris, France

Paris is iconic for its landmark museums and cafes, but the photo that all budding photographers long to capture is theEiffel Tower. It was built as the grand entrance for the World Trade Fair of 1889. It was meant to be demolished in 1909 after the famous fair ended, but it was saved due to its amazing height. The city needed an antenna platform, and the iron beauty made for a great location. Many claim the best views are from the Trocadero platform. This is a great spot where you can get a front-on photo with this amazing piece of architecture.

#3 – London, UK

UK is a popular tourism destination for its photogenic landmarks including Big Ben. However, what you may not know is that Big Ben is only a nickname coined for the massive bell housed inside the tower. The Tower Bridge is also one of the city’s most recognisable landmarks. In terms of capturing the best photos for these (because as you’ll learn in our travel photography course, location is super-important), many attest to Parliament Square for Big Ben and the observation deck at the Tower Bridge for stunning River Thames shots.

#4 – Rome, Italy

Rome is one of the most photographed places in the world and will be a favourite with those who do a travel photography course with hundreds of locations devoted to Catholicism in the city. And it’s hard to find a non-photogenic part of Rome — everywhere you look there are glorious cathedrals, fountains and classical architecture. Famous landmarks include the Trevi Fountain and of course the Colosseum, but also the Trinità dei Monti. This late Renaissance church sits at the top of the Spanish Steps, overlooking the Piazza di Spagna. Initially built in the 1500s, the church is now one of the most photographed places in all of Italy. Pope Pius VI unveiled the Sallustiano Obelisk, which stands in front of the church, in the late 18th century.

#5 – Venice, Italy

Probably the most famous photographic spots in Venice is the Piazza San Marco. It is a popular square with the magnificent San Marco Basilica among other sites. Another iconic spot is the Rialto Bridge, particularly for some picture-perfect shots of gondolas parked at San Marco Square. Then there is the Bridge of Sighs and Academia Bridge, Piazza San Marco, and of course, the Grand Canal. If you are willing to travel further afield, you’ll find the islands of Murano and Burano. Murano is famous for its glassware and Burano absolutely full of colour, which makes it a wonderful place for photography. Lastly, another island, San Giorgio Maggiore, which lies beyond the eastern end of Canale della Giudecca.

#6 – Caminito, Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires has become one of the most photographed places in the world and is renowned for its colourful European-style architecture. One of the most popular locations is in Caminito. The word means “little walkway”and is a traditional alley and street museum that was built in the 1950s by artist Benito Quinquela Martin. Although only 100 meters long, it is the most photographed landmark in South America and has the added bonus of the opportunity to photograph tango-performing street artists for that authentic South American touch.

#7 – Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona may be famous for its tapas and beaches, but also for the Sagrada Familia church. Designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí, his work on the building is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Many of the photos on Instagram share views of f Park Güell which was built and designed by Antoni Gaudí. It is a privatised park system composed of gardens and architectural elements. Gaudí is famous for his use of colour, intricate designs and natural materials. The park was built from 1900 to 1914 and was officially opened as a public park in 1926. In 1984, UNESCO declared the park a World Heritage Site.

#8 – Budapest, Hungary

For one of the best views of Budapest make the trip up the top of Castle Hill on the Buda side of the River, Here you’ll find the neo-Romanesque terrace  known as Fisherman’s Bastion. The walkway on top of the terrace is one of the best viewing points in the city and offers stunning views across the Danube to the Pest side. The views of the Hungarian parliament are breathtaking. The Chain Bridge is also one of the most iconic landmarks in Budapest. It spans the Danube, linking Buda and Pest, and is absolutely beautiful with its majestic guardian lions protecting the bridge. Then there is St Stephen’s Basilica in the heart of the city. On a clear day, the views from its roof are breathtaking.

 

Gain the fundamental knowledge and skills to take beautiful travel photographs and develop your own photographic style with a travel photography course like our Introduction to Travel Photography.

Join an Expanding Industry With a Beef Cattle Farming Course

Cattle farmers today collectively run over 28 million animals over 200 million hectares, and the industry has changed a great deal over recent decades. Ideal for beef cattle producers, beef cattle managers and farm hands, this beef cattle farming course will give you the knowledge to develop your career prospects, better manage beef cattle or improve your farm operations.

The Certificate of Beef Cattle will give you insights into the role of beef cattle in agriculture, beef cattle breeds and production systems, and beef cattle diseases, nutrition and breeding. You will also study commercial herd, feed lot and stud herd management, and marketing and economics in the beef cattle industry.

Learning Outcomes

Outcomes achieved by undertaking a beef cattle farming course include:

  • Learning about beef cattle, beef cattle breeds and the role of beef cattle in agriculture
  • Exploring scientific classification, examples of breeds worldwide including British breeds – Angus, Hereford, South Devon, Sussex and Red Poll
  • Gaining an understanding of US developed beef breeds – Santa Gertrudis, American Brahman, Amerifax and Beefmaster
  • Studying European Beef breeds – Salers, Charolais, Simmental and Gelbvieh
  • Examining Australian Beef breeds – Braford, Beefmaster, Droughtmaster, Murray Grey and Australian Lowline
  • Understanding South African Beef Breeds – Salorn, Tswana, Tuli and Africkander
  • Attaining knowledge of breed selection considerations – horned vs poll, colour, gestation length, birth weight, mothering ability, post weaning growth, meat quality etc.
  • Gaining insights into various systems of production (extensive, intensive and semi-intensive) and how to choose a suitable system – considerations include size, climate, soils, transport, markets etc.
  • Learning about cattle handling facilities and materials used in cattle handling
  • Exploring cattle identification (branding, ear marking, tattooing, ear tags) and de-horning (chemical and mechanical methods)
  • Gaining an understanding of castrations, dips and dipping and injecting cattle
  • Studying beef cattle breeding including heritability, performance testing, progeny testing and selection, pure versus cross breeding, calving percentage and management factors to improve calving percentage
  • Gaining an understanding of vitamins, water for farm animals and protein
  • Studying commercial herd management, the breeding herd and production systems
  • Examining cow-calf herd and beef production systems using dairy stock
  • Understanding lot feeding – types of feedlot
  • Attaining knowledge of managing cattle in a feedlot
  • Gaining insights into feedlot records
  • Learning about pen feeding in South Africa
  • Exploring stud herd management
  • Gaining an understanding of calving time, feeding and fertility
  • Studying indicators of fertility in cows and bulls
  • Examining management, economics and marketing
  • Understanding profitability
  • Attaining knowledge of the factors affecting gross output and variable costs

And more!

Australia’s Beef Industry – Fast Facts

Here are some interesting beef cattle farming statistics published in 2020 in a report by Meat & Livestock Australia.

  • The domestic expenditure plus export value including live export of the Australian beef industry was approximately $20.2 billion in 2019.
  • There are over 45,000 agricultural businesses involved in the cattle industry.
  • There were over 24.7 million head of cattle in Australia as of June 2019.
  • There were over 11.7 million head of heifers and beef cows aged over a year in the 2018 to 2019 period.
  • Over 189,000 people are employed in the red meat industry, including in the areas of retail, processing and on-farm production.
  • In 2018 to 2019, Australia produced approximately 2.4 million tonnes of carcass weight (cwt) of beef and veal produced.
  • In 2019, three million grained cattle were marketed.
  • The gross value of Australian cattle and calf production in 2019 to 2020 was over $15 billion.
  • Cattle are estimated to have contributed 23 per cent of total farm value of $66.5 billion in 2019 to 2020.
  • Domestic expenditure on beef was approximately $7.8 billion in 2019.
  • Australians ate over 25 kilograms of beef per person in 2018 to 2019.
  • National cattle numbers as of June 2019 were 11.3 million in Queensland, 4 million in New South Wales, 3.6 million in Victoria, 2.1 million in the Northern Territory, 2 million in Western Australia, 1 million in South Australia and 0.7 million in Tasmania.
  • Australian beef and veal production figures in terms of percentage are Queensland (58 per cent), New South Wales (26 per cent), Victoria (seven per cent), Western Australia (five per cent) and South Australia (four per cent).
  • Australian lofted cattle turn-off in terms of percentages are Queensland (58 per cent), New South Wales (26 per cent), Victoria (seven per cent), Western Australia (five per cent) and South Australia (four per cent).
  • In 2019, Australia exported 76 per cent of its total beef and veal production.
  • The value of total beef and veal exports in 2019 was over $10.8 billion.
  • Australian live cattle exports were valued at $1.6 billion in 2018 to 2019 with 1.3 million exported.
  • Australia top five beef and veal exports are China (27 per cent), Japan (23 per cent), the US (21 per cent), South Korea (13 per cent) and Indonesia (five per cent).
  • Australian top live cattle exports (including dairy cattle) are Indonesia (52 per cent), Vietnam (21 per cent), China (12 per cent), Israel (six per cent) and Russia (three per cent).
  • Australia has approximately two per cent of the world’s cattle herd and is the second largest beef exporter in the world behind Brazil.

Cattle Breeds

The beef cattle industry has changed a great deal over recent decades. Quality beef is increasing in demand and the way beef is raised and marketed is continually changing. Anyone involved in beef cattle farming needs to be aware of changes in the industry, but also about the different cattle breeds.

Different breeds have different characteristics, and depending upon what the cattle will be used for, there will different benefits with different breeds. Today, cow breeds can be broken up into four main purpose types — beef (meat), dairy, draft, and multi-purpose (beef-draft, dairy-draft, beef-dairy and beef-dairy-draft).

Many of the older breeds were bred as duel-purpose or multi-purpose cattle. However, today most of the newer breeds are used for one purpose. And they are more efficient at this specific purpose, for example, beef cow breeds still produce milk but they are nowhere near as efficient as the dairy cow breeds. Some breeds also tolerate certain conditions better than others, while other breeds are more desirable because of the characteristics that are found in the milk or meat.

Most people assume that the naming of cattle species and breeds is a single system, which every cattle expert in the world will subscribe to. But this is not the case. There are, in fact, many different authorities around the world who manage the naming of cattle, and these different “experts” don’t always agree with each other.

Commercial breeders and farmers also manage a range of systems for classifying and registering breeds of cattle. These systems attempt to keep records of the parentage of progeny and assign names to breeds. These breed registries are at times also known as a “herd books” or “stud books”. They may be managed by government or industry bodies; and may or may not work together with other breed registries across regional or international borders. Sometimes the same breeds may end up being known by different names in different countries and sometimes new breeds are developed, but may not be formally registered.

Most developed countries tend to have widely-accepted authorities for registering breeds of cattle in their country, and as a result, the naming of breeds tends to be relatively consistent at least within that country. Sometimes a breed known by one name in one developed country though, may be known by a different name in another developed country. Despite seeming confusing, the use of both may be valid, depending upon the country you are using the name in. Good breed registries will commonly issue registration papers showing details of the animal’s parentage and there are over 800 credible breeds of cattle registered around the world.

 

Understand the principles and practices of beef cattle husbandry and be able to make informed decisions about the management requirements of beef cattle with a beef cattle farming course like our  Certificate of Beef Cattle.

Learn How to Write a Non-Fiction Book

Do you want to write a non-fiction book? Perhaps you’d like to write your autobiography. Maybe you’re fascinated by the life of someone else and want to commemorate them with a biography. Or are you an expert on a topic that you’d like to share? Whatever your reason for learning how to write a non-fiction book, this course is ideal professional development for you.

You’ll learn how to write commercial non-fiction for print, broadcast, and digital channels in this online writing course. The course covers how to write a non-fiction book, magazine articles, blogs, news items, memoirs, biographies, and more.

Learn how to write on many different topics, including crime, travel, health, leisure activities, food, diet, and wellbeing. This course also covers fact-based storytelling techniques, copywrite infringement and protecting your work, contracts, and publishers, how to make writing profitable, navigating legal systems, and sales and marketing for writers.

So, if you’re an aspiring writer who wants to improve your non-fiction writing skills, look no further than this online writing course.

What You’ll Learn

When you study our course on how to write a non-fiction book, you will gain the following learning outcomes:

  • Understand the scope and nature of commercial and professional non-fiction writing in print, electronic and broadcast media.
  • Distinguish between different forms of non-fiction writing used in different contexts, including different industries and disciplines, used in broadcast media, print media, and electronic media.
  • Learn how to write fact-based stories.
  • Understand how to write non-fiction as a business.

Formulate and create:

  • News writing for different applications.
  • Travel writing for different applications.
  • Biographical writing for different applications
  • Sports, hobbies, and related writing for different applications
  • Food writing for different applications
  • Wellbeing writing for various applications.

And more!

Why Learn How to Write a Non-Fiction Book?

Non-fiction writers have many opportunities to secure work, from writing feature articles for print and online magazines to autobiographical writing. So, why study how to write non-fiction?

  • Learn how to write across multiple genres
  • Discover how to adapt your writing habits and style for different purposes
  • Develop a thirst for research (and know how to use it effectively)
  • Learn how to recycle your research to produce multiple versions of their work
  • Adopt a more commercially minded approach to your writing

What is Creative Non-Fiction?

Creative non-fiction, also known as narrative non-fiction, is a term used to describe crafting a compelling true story using creative techniques. The term covers memoir, history, true crime, travel writing, biography, autobiography, literary or personal essays, lyric essays, literary journalism but excludes news, poetry and fiction.

Creative non-fiction is told in the first person, as the author’s voice is a crucial part of the work. As with all non-fiction, these works are based on facts, whether verifiable or personal memory or reflection. The best works of creative non-fiction use the author’s own experience.

When you learn how to write creative non-fiction, you’ll discover that it’s also similar to fiction. Like works of fiction, creative non-fiction has a narrator, characters, plot, dialogue, scenes, figurative language, and sensory elements. The narrator may speculate and use their imagination but remains truthful.

 

10 Creative Non-Fiction Books (For Inspiration)

 

  1. Phosphorescence – Julia Baird

A national bestseller, Phosphorescence is a beautiful, intimate and inspiring investigation into how we can find and nurture within ourselves that essential quality of internal happiness – the ‘light within’ – which will sustain us even through the darkest times.

  1. The Gifts of Imperfection – Brene Brown

Atlas of the Heart explores eighty-seven emotions and experiences that define what it means to be human and walk through a new framework for cultivating meaningful connection.

  1. Gum: The Story of Eucalypts and Their Champions

From award-winning author Ashley Hay, this new edition of Gum is a powerful and lyrical exploration of these magical, mythical, medicinal trees and the story of new worlds, curious people, and big ideas.

  1. Signs & Wonders – Delia Falconer

In Signs and Wonders: Dispatches from a Time of Beauty and Loss, Delia Falconer searches for ways to describe how modern, developed societies are increasingly enthralled by nature at the same time as we’re annihilating it

  1. You’re Doing it Wrong – Kaz Cooke

You’re Doing it Wrong is an outrageous tour through the centuries of bonkers, and bad advice handed down and imposed upon women, told as only Kaz Cooke can – with humour, rage, intelligence, and wit.

  1. The Psychics Test – Gary Nunn

Award-winning journalist Gary Nunn investigates psychics, mediums, and astrologers to understand their uncanny, under-investigated, unregulated power.

  1. Wasted: A Story of Alcohol, Grief & Death in Brisbane

Wasted is a vital, poignant piece of social commentary and is essential reading for every Australian who drinks. This devastating personal story of loss and grief is also an unflinching examination of the damaging drinking habits of young Australians and of a society that not only permits but encourages them.

  1. The Care Factor – Ailsa Wild

The Care Factor tells the story of one incredible nurse – one among many – who chose to meet an unprecedented global health crisis on the frontline.

  1. Remember Me – Liz Byrski

Remember Me is Liz Byrski’s own story — a story that will resonate with anyone who has ever been in love.

  1. Because We Are Bad – Lily Bailey

A vivid, darkly funny, moving, and uplifting account of a young woman’s struggle with OCD.

 

Learn how to write a non-fiction book and craft creative and compelling true stories with our Certificate of Non-Fiction Writing.

Find your new direction today!

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