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horticultural worker
Horticultural workers are involved in the large-scale growing of plants.
They work in the following areas:
- production horticulture - producing and selling plants for either food or decorative purposes
- garden centres – producing plants for sale to the public
- amenity horticulture – looking after areas such as parks and public and botanic gardens.
- sowing seeds or planting bulbs, transferring seedlings, growing from cuttings and grafting
- plant care such as watering, weeding, pruning, feeding and spraying
- picking, sorting and packaging produce to be sent to retailers
- arranging displays of plants and products
- mowing grass, cutting dead growth and branches and general tidying
- laying paths and tending ornamental features
- retail sales and advising customers in garden centres.
Hours and Environment
It is usual to work a 40-hour week, although some jobs are seasonal, with longer hours during the summer. Weekend and evening work may be required, particularly in garden centres.
The work is physically demanding, involving bending, kneeling, lifting and carrying.
Skills and Interests
To be a horticultural worker you should:
- be interested in plants and their care
- be physically fit and able to do practical tasks
- be able to understand and follow health and safety regulations when using chemicals, tools and machines
- be able to operate or drive machine tools and vehicles, and perform simple repairs or maintenance
- be able to work either alone for long periods or in a team
- be able to give information and advice to visitors or customers
- have some experience in customer service and handling money for garden centre work.
Entry
You do not need any particular qualifications to get into this work but some employers may expect you to have GCSEs (A-C)/S grades (1-3), or similar qualifications. For a job in one of the major botanic gardens, you will need a horticultural qualification.
You might be able to get in if you have experience in a similar area such as forestry or farming, or have skills and knowledge you have gained by gardening as a hobby. It will be useful if you have customer service experience if you want to work in a garden centre.
If you are aged 16 to 24 you may be able to enter through an apprenticeship. Please see the Training section.
You can get skills and knowledge by attending full-time or part-time courses. Beginners courses include:
- City & Guilds Level 1 Certificate in Land-based Studies (0360) with an option in horticulture
- NVQ/SVQs Level 1 in Horticulture and at Level 2 in Amenity Horticulture and Production Horticulture - you will not need any qualifications for level 1. To get onto level 2 you will usually need NVQ level 1 or relevant work experience
- RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) Level 2 Certificate in Horticulture – there are no set entry requirements
- BTEC First Diploma in Horticulture – you will usually need GCSEs (normally at least four passes at Grade G or above, including science, mathematics and a subject testing the use of English), or equivalent qualifications and/or experience gained in employment.
Other courses include:
- City & Guilds Level 2 National Certificate in Horticulture
- City & Guild Level 3 Advanced National Certificate in Horticulture
- BTEC National Certificate and Diploma in Horticulture – entry requirements are usually a BTEC First Diploma or at least four GCSEs (A-C)/S grades (1-3) or equivalent qualifications
- RHS Level 3 Advanced Certificate in Horticulture – entry requirements are usually completion of the RHS Level 2 Certificate in Horticulture or an equivalent level of qualification. Contact the RHS for details.
Training
You may be trained on the job with experienced workers and supervisors. You might also be able to work towards the following qualifications:
- NVQ/SVQ in Level 1 in Horticulture
- NVQ/SVQ levels 2 and 3 in Amenity Horticulture
- NVQ/SVQ levels 2 and 3 in Production Horticulture
- NVQ/SVQ Level 4 in Amenity Horticulture Management.
Levels 3 and 4 are suitable if you have supervisory and management responsibilities.
You may be able to attend the courses mentioned in the Entry section on a part-time basis whilst in employment.
You can do a range of short courses and certificates of competence relating to horticulture which are administered by the National Proficiency Tests Council (NPTC) and the Scottish Skills Testing Service (SSTS). You are required by law to have certificates of competence if your job involves tasks such as operating chainsaws and using pesticides. Please see the Further Information section for contact details.
With experience and/or further qualifications you may be able to progress to supervising teams of staff and eventually to managing facilities. You can do higher level qualifications if you want to take up this sort of position. Please see the horticultural/garden centre manager profile for more details of this.
Apprenticeships may be available for those under the age of 24. In England these are currently Apprenticeships (level 2) and Advanced Apprenticeships (level 3). To find out more about these, visit www.apprenticeships.org.uk
Apprenticeships may be different in other areas. For further information see Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland
Opportunities
There are nurseries and garden centres all over the country. Production horticulture is concentrated in certain areas, depending on the climate and type of soil. In amenity horticulture, jobs are mainly in larger towns and cities, working for local councils looking after public parks, gardens and playing fields. Councils increasingly employ private contractors to do this work, so there are opportunities with these.
Larger employers offer the chance to progress to supervisor and management posts for those with experience or further qualifications. It may be necessary to change employers to reach the more senior jobs. Promotion could also be possible with specialist skills, such as caring for trees or sports grounds.
Self-employment is possible by setting up a nursery or garden maintenance business. There may be opportunities to work abroad.
Annual Income
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
Starting salary may be around £10,000 a year.
Experienced workers may earn from around £10,500 to £18,000.
Income depends on the employer and type of work. There could be additional payments for overtime, and there might be a bonus scheme.
Further information
Edinburgh
EH28 8NE
Tel: 0131 333 2040
Stoneleigh
Warwickshire
CV8 2LG
Tel: 024 7685 7300
Stoneleigh Park
Nr Coventry
Warwickshire
CV8 2LG
Tel: 0845 707 8007
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The information contained in our Career Profiles Database was correct at time of publishing, but since publication certain details may have changed so please use this section as a research tool and in some cases further research may be required.
Careers Database Information By Learn Direct Advice