Course CodeBIP000Fee CodeS1Duration (approx)100 hoursQualificationStatement of Attainment INDUSTRY PROJECT OR WORK EXPERIENCE Industry Projects are not studied alone. They are studied together with; and usually after completing other modules. The purpose is for you to learn more about your area of study through a learning experience that is connected to the "real world " (ie. industry). There are many different ways of doing industry projects. The actual way you go about yours, will be determined by negotiating and planning an approach with a member of our academic staff. For those who already work in industry; you may complete the project in your existing workplace, and there may not be a lot involved beyond reporting to and verifying with a tutor. For anyone who is isolated by time, distance or personal circumstances; there are still options to meet this requirement; such as completing one of our workplace project modules or perhaps even a research module. Upon completion you should have developed a greater insight into your industry, developed your networking skills, and become more enlightened about how your learning in other modules can be applied in real world situations. Examples of ways available to you to satisfy this requirement: Alternative 1. If you work in the industry that you have been studying; you may submit a reference from your employer, in an effort to satisfy this industry (ie. workplace project) requirement; on the basis of RPL (ie. recognition for prior learning), achieved through your current and past work experience. The reference must indicate that you have skills and an awareness of your industry, which is sufficient for you to work in a position of responsibility. Alternative 2. If you do not work in the relevant industry, you need to undertake a project as follows. Typical Procedure for a Workplace Project This project is a major part of the course involving the number of hours relevant to the course (see above). Although the course does not contain mandatory work requirements, work experience is seen as highly desirable. This project is based on applications in the work place and specifically aims to provide the student with the opportunity to apply and integrate skills and knowledge developed through various areas of formal study. Students will design this project in consultation with a tutor to involve industry based activities in the area of specialized study which they select to follow in the course. The project outcomes may take the form of a written report, folio, visuals or a mixture of forms. Participants with relevant, current or past work experience will be given exemption from this project if they can provide suitable references from employers that show they have already fulfilled the requirements of this project. For courses that involve more than 100 hours, more than one workplace project topic may be selected. For example, 200 hours may be split into two projects each of 100 hours. This will offer the student better scope to fulfill the needs of their course and to meet the number of hours required. Alternatively, the student may wish to do one large project with a duration of 200 hours. Students will be assessed on how well they achieve the goals and outcomes they originally set as part of their negotiations with their tutor. During each 100 hours of the project, the students will present three short progress reports. These progress reports will be taken into account when evaluating the final submission. The tutor must be satisfied that the work submitted is original. If the student wishes to do one large 200 hour report, then only three progressive reports will be needed (however the length of each report will be longer). Profile of a Student (extract from our book "Getting a Job") Lana enrolled in several courses with the ACS. She did the hydroponics course, and then a course on growing cut-flowers, and with these, she started a venture growing the Australian native flannel flower using hydroponics. Within a year she won a scholarship that enabled her to continue her studies, including a course on propagation by cuttings and a course on horticultural marketing. Within 2 years, she was exporting flowers to Japan, USA, Europe and the UK, and quickly gaining a reputation as having some of, if not the best quality Flannel flower in the country. In the last several years, Lana has won the Young Achievers Award from the Flowers Association of Queensland (2008) and then the prestigious RIRDC Rural Women's Award for NSW in 2010, with a bursary of $10,000 and the Australian Institute of Company Directors Course. She is the ACT Region Ambassador for the Australia Year of the Farmer, and she is included in the Who's Who of Australian Women for 2011, 2012, and upcoming 2013. Lana now owns the plant breeders rights for a specific tall stemmed variety of Flannel flower, called White Romance and licenses growers in Australia and overseas to grow the flower for the cut-flower industry. She has been working extensively with other new rural industries in market development, social media, communications and public speaking. “I consider that my success in recent years is directly related to the training I have done with the ACS. The materials were spot on, and the tutors were superb. I have always firmly believed that if you have a passion to do something, the only thing that will prevent you from attaining your goals, is lack of training and lack of understanding -- and for me, the Australian Correspondence School makes sure that that does not occur. I could not recommend them more.” Cut Flower Production – Lana Mitchell