Aquaculture, the practice of breeding, rearing, and harvesting aquatic organisms, offers abundant career prospects. It is a rapidly growing industry with high demand for skilled professionals. This course focuses on sustainable aquaculture systems, hatchery management, and fish farming. Graduates will be prepared for diverse roles in aquaculture farms, research organisations, and marine vessels. SIT provides hands-on education through classroom sessions, field trips, and industry exposure, equipping students for a rewarding career in aquaculture.
16 weeks full-time
2024 Semester 2: 22 July to 08 November
This programme is eligible for the Zero Fees Scheme.
International Fees can be found here.
The purpose of this qualification is to provide the aquaculture sector with people who are able to work as technicians or farm assistants carrying out routine operations involving daily care, husbandry and monitoring of fish or shellfish in an aquaculture operation.
This flexible course includes two days of theory classes per week, offered both onsite and online, along with two weeks of onsite industry-based practicals, combining a mixed and flexible learning approach.
SAQ301 Aquaculture Systems
SAQ302 Hatchery Introduction
SAQ303 Husbandry Introduction
SAQ304 Aquaculture IndustryExperience
Career opportunities in aquaculture are promising with a growing demand for skilled professionals in this field. As an aquaculture farmer, you will be responsible for managing the breeding, raising, and harvesting of fish and shellfish in marine or freshwater farms. Due to a shortage of workers, the chances of securing a job in this industry are good. With the increasing number of aquaculture farms, employers often struggle to fill vacancies, providing ample opportunities for aspiring aquaculture farmers.
Ocean Beach, our industry partner, offers unique aquaculture career opportunities in Southland, New Zealand. With a focus on mussel and salmon farming in Big Glory Bay, Stewart Island, and the growing importance of land-based aquaculture, this partnership provides a platform for professional growth. As the only onshore aquaculture site in Southland, Ocean Beach benefits from the pristine waters of the Foveaux Strait, ensuring clear water quality essential for successful aquaculture.
Join us for exciting and thriving aquaculture prospects and contribute to the sustainable production of seafood.
School Leavers
Mature Applicants
Applicants over the age of 20 years at time of enrolment will be considered where they can demonstrate the ability to succeed in a programme. Examples of demonstration of ability to succeed are the provision of evidence of successful completion of a programme of study at level 2 or above in a related discipline and/or employment in the related sector for one or more years. Applicants over 20 years are also required to have suitable physical capacity to complete manual tasks.
Language Requirements
Applicants, whose first language is not English, or who come from a country where the language of instruction in schools is not English, are required to provide evidence of having achieved one of the following:
NCEA Level 3 with University Entrance, or
an International Baccalaureate Diploma or Cambridge A- level qualification for which the teaching and assessment was conducted in English, or
Cambridge Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA), or Trinity College London Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CertTESOL), or
Successful completion of all primary education (being the equivalent of New Zealand primary school years 1 to 8) and at least three years of secondary education (being the equivalent of three years from New Zealand secondary school years 9 to 13) at schools in either New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States one of the countries listed in Rule 18.5 where the student was taught using English as the language of instruction, or
Successful completion of at least five years of secondary education (being the equivalent of New Zealand secondary school years 9 to 13) at schools in either New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States where the student was taught using English as the language of instruction, or
Successful completion of a Bachelor ‘s Degree, Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, Bachelor Honours degree, Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma, Masters’ Degree or Doctoral Degree, the language of instruction of which must be in English and which must be from a tertiary education provider from New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom or the United States, or
Successful completion of one of the following internationally recognised proficiency tests listed below to the level required of the programme of study and with all scores achieved in a single test during the two years preceding the proposed date of enrolment:
IELTS test - General or Academic score of 5 with no band score lower than 5
TOEFL Paper based test (pBT) - Score of 500 (with an essay score of 4 TWE)
TOEFL Internet based test (iBT) - Score of 35 (with a writing score of 14)
Cambridge English Examination - B2 First or B2First for schools with a score of 154. No less than 154 in each skill.
OET - Minimum of Grade C or 200 in all sub-tests
NZCEL - a) Expiring Level, b) Current: a) Level 3 (General) or (Workplace), b) Level 3 (General)
Pearson Test of English (Academic) – PTE (Academic) score of 36 with no band score lower than 36
Language Cert - B1 Achiever International ESOL Written (LRW) PASS with no less than 25/50 in each skill and Spoken (S) PASS
Trinity ISE - ISE I with no less than distinction in any band
To satisfactorily complete the New Zealand Certificate in Aquaculture (Level 3) with strand in Hatchery and be awarded this qualification the student must successfully achieve:
(Please note: students failing to attend for 80% of timetabled programme hours may forfeit zero fees entitlement)
