Emerging Leadership in People, Food and Fibre Industries Micro-credential

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Why Emerging Leadership in People, Food and Fibre Industries

This micro-credential builds learners’ leadership confidence and practical capability to lead engaged, resilient and productive teams across Aotearoa’s people, food and fibre industries. Delivered by Fruition Horticulture in partnership with industry experts, the programme supports employers to strengthen their leadership pipeline while enhancing team cohesion and workplace performance.

Participants develop skills in sustaining personal wellbeing, building resilience, practising reflective leadership, and leading others through inclusive and culturally responsive communication. The learning is applied and industry-focused, combining face-to-face workshops, online learning, and workplace projects to embed real-world practice.

Bay of Plenty Cohort 15 June – 23 August 2026
 
Pukekohe Cohort Monday 29 June – 6 September 2026
 
Kerikeri Cohort 29 June – 6 September 2026
 

Cost: $960 including GST

Why This Course Could Change Your Career

  • Develop the self-awareness, resilience, and confidence to step into leadership with credibility.
  • Strengthen your ability to lead engaged, productive teams through inclusive and culturally responsive practice.
  • Build practical skills in communication, pastoral care, and emotional intelligence to support team wellbeing.
  • Gain applied leadership capability valued across Aotearoa’s people, food and fibre industries.

Meet Your Course Tutors

Missy Grey

Missy has a background in teaching across all education sectors and has also completed seasonal labour work in horticulture, including kiwifruit picking and packing and export boysenberry grading and packing. As part of the Hei Whanake programme, she also supports tauira to engage in work experience in horticulture.

These experiences have given her firsthand insight into physically demanding work, changing conditions, productivity expectations, tight timelines, and the pressures that can come with them. She believes learning is most powerful when it is relatable and grounded in real-world experience.

Guided by manaakitanga and whanaungatanga, she views leadership not as transforming into someone else, but as uncovering your existing strengths and applying them with confidence and purpose.

Tiffany Andrews

Tiffany works across Aotearoa’s food and fibre sector designing vocational programmes that grow confident, capable leaders. Her connection to the industry began early, growing up around a family mandarin orchard and a father working in the dairy industry with Anchor. As a child she could be found sweeping the floors at Trimax Engineering, gaining an early appreciation for the people and work behind primary industries.

Through her work with Fruition, Tiffany supports learning that connects directly to real industry experience, including orchard placements and field trips across sectors. She believes strong leadership grows from understanding different leadership frameworks, valuing your own capability as a leader, and drawing from a kete of practical tools. At its heart, leadership is service — supporting people and creating the conditions for teams to succeed.

What course participants say

About the micro-credential Emerging Leadership in People, Food and Fibre Industries

LO 1: Apply and develop self-leadership skills to strengthen personal wellbeing and resilience strategies in People, Food and Fibre operations.

LO 2: Apply and develop interpersonal skills and engagement strategies, complying with organisational policies and procedures, to effectively lead teams in People, Food and Fibre operations.

Week 1 – Beginning of Your Leadership Journey

  • Programme overview and expectations
  • Introduction to leadership in People, Food and Fibre industries
  • Understanding emerging leadership capability
  • Setting personal leadership goals

Week 2 – Self-Leadership and Personal Wellbeing

  • Sustaining personal wellbeing in operational environments
  • Recognising stress and fatigue impacts
  • Developing resilience strategies
  • Building self-awareness and emotional regulation

Week 3 – Reflective Leadership Practices

  • Practising reflective leadership
  • Identifying leadership strengths and growth areas
  • Receiving and applying feedback
  • Developing continuous improvement habits

Week 4 – Organisation Policies and Support Systems

  • Understanding workplace policies and procedures
  • Health, safety and wellbeing responsibilities
  • Using organisational and managerial support systems
  • Knowing when and how to escalate issues

Week 5 – Effective Communication Skills

  • Active listening and clear communication
  • Giving respectful and constructive feedback
  • Communicating expectations clearly
  • Managing difficult conversations

Week 6 – Cultural Competency and Inclusive Leadership

  • Leading within Aotearoa’s diverse workforce
  • Culturally responsive communication
  • Understanding tikanga-informed leadership approaches
  • Creating psychologically safe team environments

Week 7 – Team Engagement and Interpersonal Skills

  • Building trust and team cohesion
  • Motivating seasonal and diverse teams
  • Conflict awareness and de-escalation
  • Strengthening collaboration

Week 8 – Inclusive Leadership and Pastoral Care

  • Practising empathy and emotional intelligence
  • Supporting team wellbeing
  • Recognising signs of stress or disengagement
  • Providing appropriate pastoral support

Week 9 – Responding to Seasonal and Environmental Challenges

  • Leading through peak workload and pressure periods
  • Maintaining morale during operational challenges
  • Decision-making under pressure
  • Strengthening resilience across teams

Week 10 – Capstone Leadership Project & Presentations

  • Applied workplace leadership project
  • Group presentation of leadership strategies
  • Reflection on leadership growth
  • Programme wrap-up and next steps

Bay of Plenty Cohort

Programme: 15 June – 23 August 2026
Face-to-Face 1: Thursday 18 June – Bay of Plenty
Face-to-Face 2: Thursday 13 August – Bay of Plenty
 

Pukekohe Cohort

Programme: 29 June – 6 September 2026
Face-to-Face 1: Tuesday 30 June – Pukekohe
Face-to-Face 2: Tuesday 25 August – Pukekohe
 

Kerikeri Cohort

Programme: 29 June – 6 September 2026
Face-to-Face 1: Thursday 2 July – Kerikeri
Face-to-Face 2: Thursday 27 August – Kerikeri

To Apply for the ‘Emerging Leadership in People, Food and Fibre Industries’ micro-credential, fill out the Online Application Form and select ‘Micro-credential Emerging Leadership in Horticulture‘ as your chosen programme of study.

After receiving your application, we will be in touch within 5 working days to confirm your eligibility and enrolment status.

Apply Now

Get ahead with
confident leadership

Are you ready to step into leadership with greater confidence and capability?
Build practical skills to lead engaged, resilient teams while strengthening workplace performance.

Develop self-awareness, resilience and wellbeing strategies to sustain your leadership under pressure.

Build confidence to lead conversations, give feedback and manage challenges constructively.

Use organisational policies and support systems effectively to guide sound decision-making.

Strengthen inclusive and culturally responsive communication within Aotearoa’s diverse workforce.

Apply practical team engagement strategies that improve cohesion and productivity.

Lead through seasonal and environmental pressures while maintaining morale and wellbeing.

Apply today, or contact us if you have questions

Jordan Hetterley-Ngaia

Kia ora whānau, ko Jordan tōku ingoa. I’m the Hastings kaiako for the Hei Whanake programme, bringing a strong background in horticulture and the primary sector into my teaching. Through my journey, I’ve gained hands-on experience across different areas of the industry, shaping both my skills and my passion for working alongside people.

I’ve lived through a range of experiences and challenges, navigating obstacles with resilience and determination. These experiences shape how I show up — with authenticity, empathy, and a strong focus on whanaungatanga.

My passion is people. I’m driven by the desire to support learners from all walks of life to build confidence, discover their strengths, and realise that what once felt out of reach is achievable. I create practical, hands-on learning environments where learners feel supported, challenged, and empowered to grow.

Hei Whanake offers opportunities to develop essential life and employability skills, build strong connections, and engage in meaningful, hands-on learning. I’m committed to walking alongside learners and their whānau, supporting them to set goals and create pathways into employment or further opportunities.