Plans for Katikati College to develope a horticulture-based primary industries academy are beginning to take seed in what community stakeholders view as a vital stepping stone into the industry.

SunLive can reveal the school is currently investigating the possibility of setting up the project in an effort to provide further pathways once students have left secondary level.

Katikati College principal Neil Harray and the school are eyeing up a potential horticulture-based primary industries academy.

If developed, the academy would give students comprehensive hands on experience, particularly in New Zealand's $4billion horticulture industry.

The export of fruit and vegetables is New Zealand's fourth largest export earner.

Katikati College principal Neil Harray says speculation the school has purchased a nearby orchard are wide of the mark, with the envisaged concept very much in the early stages.

'We have been looking at it, and if the school had land available, would that benefit the course? It's hypothetical and not in concrete at all.

'We are investigating if we were to set up a primary industries academy what that would look like and what the community would like in terms of types of courses, types of graduates and what careers that can lead to.”

Before the school launches anything it is meeting with key community stakeholders, including New Zealand Avocado and NZ Kiwifruit Growers Inc, to discuss strengthening the future of horticulture.

Neil says kiwifruit and avocado production are the town's 'major players”, but the academy will also cater for other industries including what he describes as 'boutique stuff” that is of value to the community.

NZ Kiwifruit Growers Inc president Neil Trebilco says such an academy will be of great value to the community, and highlights the link between the schools' vision and the tertiary action plan where a newpurpose-built shared tertiary campus will be built in the heart of Tauranga's CBD.

The campus is proposed by the Bay of Plenty Tertiary Education Partnership, which is made up of four tertiary institutions - Bay of Plenty Polytechnic, Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi, Waiariki Institute of Technology and the University of Waikato.

He says while the tertiary plan is terrific, its collaborators must look at the feedback and submissions stating the plan must specifically provide for Bay of Plenty's education and high profile industries.

'If we are doing that at a tertiary level, should we be doing that at a secondary level?” asks Neil.

'NZKGI's position is that it's a great initiative and shows initiative from Katikati College. We really look forward to them progressing their ambitions and will support them along the way.”

The school's academy would show students the array of opportunities available in the industry and a Ministry for Primary Industries ‘people powered' report shows the distinctive gap between the quality and level of growth in the horticulture industry, and the level of people seeking employment.

'We see it as entirely appropriate for secondary schools in this area because obviously the kiwifruit industry is a big part of the economic base in the Bay of Plenty. With the growth in the industry, we do need school leavers for all kinds of jobs.”