Bay of Plenty students will learn more about the science behind kiwi fruit production at this year's Cultivate Your Career Day in Tauranga this month.

Plant & Food Research will be one of eight organisations showing year 11, 12 and 13 students the options available in a horticultural career, and how sectors work together to make horticulture one of New Zealand's largest industries.

Photo: File.

Cultivate Your Career Day is a free event taking place on Wednesday, June 24, at Mills Reef Winery, and more than 100 students from around the Western Bay of Plenty region are expected to attend.

Plant & Food Research's activities will demonstrate how different areas of science, including microscopy, insect science and plant biology, can be applied in the field to improve the profitability of kiwi fruit orchards.

Ella Maxwell, the new cultivars technical leader at Plant & Food Research's Te Puke site, says that one of the best things about her job is seeing how research has direct benefits to growers and the local community.

Ella was brought up in the Bay of Plenty, attending Paengaroa Primary, Te Puke Intermediate and Te Puke High School.

She studied a range of subjects at secondary school, leading to a Bachelor of Communications Studies from AUT University and a Diploma in Science & Technology from Massey University.

Her role at Plant & Food Research uses the skills she learnt at school and university to share the developments coming out of the kiwifruit breeding programme with growers and the wider industry.

Steven Owen, Research Orchard Manager, also based at the Te Puke site, says his role provides him with a challenge that involves innovation, thinking outside the square and being part of a team of committed, clever people.

Steven studied at Tauranga Primary, Tauranga Intermediate and Tauranga Boys College, before graduating with Certificates in Horticultural Practice and Subtropical Fruit Production from Bay of Plenty Polytechnic and a Diploma of Orchard Management from Massey University.

He started at Plant & Food Research (then the DSIR), as an orchard technician, working up through the organisation to now lead the team that looks after the kiwi fruit research orchard and manages research projects in the orchard.

His personal highlight is being part of the team that developed the gold kiwifruit cultivar ‘Hort16A', marketed as Zespri Gold Kiwifruit.

Cultivate Your Career Day takes place on Wednesday, June 24, at Mills Reef Winery.