"Spending a full day dedicated to pipfruit in South Korea, I'll see for the first time apples growing in a country with a very different climate, and get to understand the different challenges this brings."
Meg, 22, a leading hand for T&G Global in Hawke's Bay, said it will be an "awesome eye-opening experience, showing us the world's leading horticultural innovation, and how this has been incorporated into organisations globally".
"We'll gain experiences we will be able to utilise and refer to throughout our careers."
The two have joined 11 Massey and Lincoln University students who, along with industry and education leaders, will travel across Belgium, Netherlands, and South Korea.
They will visit the world's highest rated Horticultural University, Wageningen University and Research, embassies in Brussels and Seoul, businesses at the cutting edge of innovation along the horticultural value chain from production to the consumer.
Horticulture opportunity
They will also gain in-depth comparative exposure to T&G Global and Zespri's operations in both Europe and Korea.
New Zealand Apples & Pears capability and development manager Erin Simpson said the international market and whole of value chain immersion will give the IHIP team unique opportunities to engage with horticultural businesses, leaders and peers.
"All while exploring the value chain, business and career opportunities and creating new and innovation product, service and business offerings."
New Zealand horticulture's rapid growth over the past decade had outstripped its talent pool.
"There is a growing urgency within the sector for securing talent across all levels of the horticultural industry," he said.
Travelling with the IHIP group, Professor Hamish Gow, Massey Business School's Professor of Agribusiness said over the past three months a collaborative group of visionary corporate partners have rapidly stepped up to co-design, co-invest and co-deliver IHIP.
"The programme will provide a highly selective group of exceptional students and recent graduates a unique immersion experience where they will have the opportunity to lift the lid on the whole horticultural value chain from international consumer right back to domestic production and technology.
"They will gain exposure to and insights from some of the world's leading horticultural companies, leaders, and researchers.
"The programme will provide the participants with a massive career leg-up and will set them on an accelerated leadership trajectory within the horticultural industry."
