A CHADSTONE greengrocer is on his way to having his experience formally recognised thanks to a Melbourne Market Authority (MMA) Greengrocery Scholarship.
Anthony Natoli was awarded the scholarship earlier this year to enable him to undertake an industry-first qualification after more than 30 years in the trade.
The full-tuition scholarship will see Mr Natoli complete Certificate III in Greengrocery at Melbourne Polytechnic.
The qualification is the first of its kind in Australia, providing those in the industry an opportunity to be formally recognised for their trade.
"Despite over 34 years of experience working with fresh produce, I realised I had nothing to show for my wealth of industry knowledge. Enrolling in the course at Melbourne Polytechnic was an opportunity to finally have something on paper to backup my hands-on experience," Mr Natoli said.
"Having this industry-recognised qualification is important to bring new talent into the industry and help our trade to be taken seriously."
Certificate III in Greengrocery has been developed by Melbourne Polytechnic together with the MMA to provide retail grocery workers with a formal qualification.
Committing $15,000 to launch the new course, the MMA Greengrocery Scholarship will help support the first group of students who train in the course with full ($1450) or part ($725) tuition.
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MMA chief executive officer Mark Maskiell said for retail grocery workers, Certificate III in Greengrocery is a nod of appreciation to a previously unrecognised profession.
"As a trade that's often taken for granted, the MMA is proud to support students like Anthony to advance their experience to the next level and to help them provide exceptional customer service across Victoria," Mr Maskiell said.
"As well as providing a recognised qualification for those already in the industry, the course is an ideal start for those wanting to begin a career in fresh produce."
After seeing the scholarship program advertised in a market newsletter, Mr Natoli said he jumped at the chance to refresh his knowledge and become the first of his industry peers to undertake the qualification.
Mr Natoli passion grew up within his parents' suburban fruit shop.
"As a kid, I was always in the shop and at the wholesale markets with my father; that's where it started for me," he said.
"At 17, I started working for my parents - wholesaling, providoring and supplying a supermarket chain with fresh produce."
After working with his parents for 12 years, he branched out and run three businesses in Melbourne's South East.
He is currently managing a fruit shop in Bentleigh, overseeing the day-to-day store operations and providing fresh food for his local community.
In light of the post-COVID-19 economy, it's hoped Certificate III in Greengrocery will help contribute to ensuring retail grocery workers can continue to service small and medium-sized businesses across Victoria.
"Greengrocery is a challenging career but a rewarding one. I really enjoy the relationships you build along the way, not only with customers but also growers," Mr Natoli said.
"This course is going to give the next generation a guide as to what to expect in the greengrocery industry and insight into what a career in fresh produce really looks like."
He commenced the course in January 2021, and is looking forward to completing the qualification this month.
"The teachers have been really great and supportive. We're covering food safety, fresh produce knowledge, health safety and point-of-sale aspects of the job," he said.
Hospitality Teacher at Melbourne Polytechnic, Peter Romano, said the first cohort of students receiving the scholarship was paving the way for a more sustainable future in the fresh produce industry.
"For the first time, retail grocery workers from varied backgrounds are coming together in the classroom to, not only further their own expertise, but also share their wealth of experience with one another," Mr Romano said.
The course will assist in the employability of those already working in the greengrocery sector and support them to further excel at their trade.
- For more information on the MMA Greengrocery Scholarship and how to apply visit: www.melbournepolytechnic.edu.au/students/scholarships/search-for-a-scholarship/melbourne-market-greengrocery-scholarship
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