NQF 3: FRUIT PACKING AND GRADING PROCESSES

This Learnership is intended to take the Learner through the practical aspects of the processing of fruit, from the time that it is received from the Producer to the time that it is despatched to the market.

It is very practical in nature and consists of 23 Modules/Unit Standards that are presented in the classroom and then followed through with a day in the packhouse during which the Learner is introduced to each workstation, from Fruit Receiving through to Fruit Despatch.

The Learner must complete numerous class exercises and 13 written assessments/tests with a minimum pass mark of 60%.

During the practical packhouse day the Learner must prove competence in the sorting/grading of fruit, packing of fruit and palletising of fruit. Numerous observations must also be conducted at the various workstations and reported on as part of the practical.

This is a very practical Learnership that is focused on the fruit processing/packing industry. Three types of fruit are looked at in the presentations: Citrus, Deciduous and Stone fruit.

Ideal Learner Characteristics

Be able to read and write in either English or Afrikaans.
Able to perform basic mathematical calculations.
Some knowledge of the fruit processing process.
Suitable for any workers level and junior supervisory/team leader level in the packhouse (Sorters, Packers, Palletisers, etc.)

Expected Outcomes of this Learnership

To equip the Learner and extend overall knowledge of the complete packing process thereby extending the scope of understanding and the importance of each step in the process as well as implementing industry good practices.

INDEX - NATIONAL CERTIFICATE: Fruit Packing and Grading Processes (NQF 3)
ID	UNIT STANDARD TITLE	HOW DOES THE TOPIC APPLY / BENEFIT THE PARTICIPANT IN THE WORK SITUATION
8973 119467	Use language and communication in occupational learning programmes.	The importance of communication in the workplace. Listening well. Giving instructions and making sure your team understand it
8000	Apply basic business principles.	The business model for inputs, process, outputs and losses. How do businesses function. Productivity and ways to improve it.
119465 119427	Effective oral and written communication.	How to communicate effectively. Conveying a message and getting feedback from your team.
8969	Interpret and use info from texts.	How to interpret messages from text, reports, and graphs. How to extract info from text and display it in the form of graphs..
9010 9012	Investigate lives and working problems by using data and probabilities. Demonstrate an understanding of the use of different number bases and measurement units and an awareness of error in the context of relevant calculations.	Basic maths, fractions, decimal figures and calculating percentages.
9013 7456	Describe, apply, analyse and calculate shape and motion in 2- and 3-dimensional space in different contexts. Basic requirements of the different fruit markets. Explain product characteristics.	Calculating areas and volume of the six basic shapes. Calculating the no. of bins/pallets that can be stored in given place. Basic budgeting. Drawing up budgets and monitoring actual costs.
115190 115187	Basic requirements of the different fruit markets. Explain fruit characteristics.	Nature of the fruit packing industry. Different markets and their requirements. Fruit marketing with the focus on fruit quality. Logistics. PPECB specifications. Fruit growth cycle and the harvesting of fruit. The nature of different fruit types and varieties. Handling fruit according to fruit type and characteristics. Fruit life span and protocols..
115186 115181 115195	Apply hygiene procedures. Apply health and safety procedures. Monitor fruit treatment process.	The OHS Act and the responsibilities of the employer and the employee in keeping the workplace a safe environment. The functioning of safety committees. The reporting of safety issues. Emergency procedures. Sanitation procedures that are applicable in the different work areas. Food safety focus points. Recognising poor hygiene practices. Personal hygiene in the workplace. HACCP and BRC. Chemical applications. Measuring of applications. MRL’s. Documentation to be completed.
115178 115193	Pack fruit. Grade fruit.	The packing processes. Packer duties. Cleaning of packing line. The sorting processes. Specifications and defects. Different grades.
115180	Size grader.	The function of the sizer. How the sizer works. Setting up the sizer. Daily maintenance and cleaning. Adjusting. The function of cameras, rollers and sizer cups. Monitoring process.
115179 115200	Palettise fruit. Dispatch final product.	Entire process of fruit intakes. Taking samples. Documentation.
115202	Operate fruit packing line machine.	Preparing the packing machine prior to start-up. Starting up, running and stopping machine (incl. emergency stops). Adjusting speed of conveyors, etc. (line balancing). Recording machine downtime.
115176 115197 115201	Explain the fruit receiving process. Store fruit. Receive fruit.	The importance of the cold chain. Effects of breakdown in cold chain. Shelf life of different fruits. Working in cold stores. Monitoring temperature. Different cold transport. Controlled atmospheres. RA and CA storage. Preparing of cold stores. Correct storage procedures. Monitoring temperatures. Handling breaks in the cold chain. Temperature regimes. Pick to pack protocols. FIFO system.
TOTAL CREDITS: 130