Orchard Worker (Fruit)

Most occupations in this sub-major group have a level of skill commensurate with the qualifications and experience outlined below.

In Australia:

• AQF Certificate I, or compulsory secondary education (ANZSCO Skill Level 5)

In New Zealand:

• NZQF Level 1 qualification, or compulsory secondary education (ANZSCO Skill Level 5)

For some occupations a short period of on-the-job training may be required in addition to or instead of the formal qualification. In some instances no formal qualification or on-the-job training may be required.

The occupations Cotton Farm Worker; Grain, Oilseed, Pulse and Pasture Farm Worker; Sugar Cane Farm Worker and Vineyard Worker have a level of skill commensurate with the qualifications and experience outlined below.

In Australia:

• AQF Certificate II or III, or at least one year of relevant experience (ANZSCO Skill Level 4)

In New Zealand:

• NZQF Level 2 or 3 qualification, or at least one year of relevant experience (ANZSCO Skill Level 4)

In some instances relevant experience and/or on-the-job training may be required in addition to the formal qualification.

• patrolling, inspecting and reporting on the condition of crops
• planting trees, seeds, seedlings, roots, bulbs, tubers, vines and other plants using hand tools and farm machines
• undertaking soil preparation, cultivation and plant and crop maintenance duties such as thinning, weeding and hoeing row crops, and pruning and thinning trees and vines
• spraying trees, vines and other plants with pesticides to control weed growth, insects, fungus growth and diseases
• operating water and irrigation systems for crop growth
• erecting growing supports such as trellises, and protective structures such as greenhouses, netting and fences
• selecting and picking fruit, nuts, grains, vegetables and mushrooms according to set requirements, and discarding rotting and overripened produce
• grading, siloing, baling, sorting, bunching and packing produce and loading it into transporters
• maintaining and cleaning farming infrastructure and equipment such as sheds, fences, plant, and water supply and irrigation systems
• operating and maintaining general farm machinery and machinery to cultivate, fertilise, spray and harvest horticultural produce
• operating data collection and farm technology systems