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Horticultural worker

Horticultural workers grow and sell plants in garden centres, and tend to plants in parks and gardens.

Average salary (a year)

£13,000 Starter

to

£30,000 Experienced

Typical hours (a week)

43 to 45 a week

You could work

evenings / weekends / bank holidays on a rota

How to become a horticultural worker

You can get into this job through:

  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship
  • applying directly
  • training through a professional body

College

You could take a course at college. Relevant courses include:

  • Level 1 Award in Horticultural Skills
  • Level 2 Certificate in Gardening
  • Level 2 Diploma in Horticulture

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 2 or fewer GCSEs at grades 3 to 1 (D to G), or equivalent, for a level 1 course
  • 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course

More information

Apprenticeship

You may be able to get into this job by doing a horticulture and landscape operative intermediate apprenticeship.

You can also do a packhouse line leader advanced apprenticeship, if you're working on a horticultural production line, for example picking and packing plants and flowers to order.

You could move onto a horticulture supervisor advanced apprenticeship as you get more experience.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

More information

Direct application

You can apply directly if you have experience of working with plants. You could get trained up on the job or develop your skills through a part-time course. Employers may ask for GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) in maths, English and science.

Other routes

You could do a training course through a professional body like The Royal Horticultural Society. Their courses can be done at a training centre, with some available by distance learning.

More information

Career tips

Getting experience and skills from working in related jobs like gardening, forestry or farming could be useful.

Customer service experience would also be helpful if you want to work in a garden centre.

Further information

You can find out more about careers in horticulture through Grow Careers and The Royal Horticultural Society.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • the ability to work well with others
  • the ability to work on your own
  • to be flexible and open to change
  • persistence and determination
  • physical skills like movement, coordination, dexterity and grace
  • the ability to work well with your hands
  • physical fitness and endurance
  • to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

Your day-to-day duties may include:

  • sowing seeds, planting bulbs and ornamental plants
  • growing plants from cuttings and by grafting
  • taking care of plants - watering, weeding, pruning, feeding and spraying
  • mowing grass, cutting dead growth and branches, and general tidying
  • laying paths and looking after ornamental features
  • researching new strains of seed and plants in the lab for crop production
  • picking, sorting and packaging produce to be sent to retailers
  • selling plants and other products
  • advising customers in a garden centre

Working environment

You could work on a country estate, in a park, in a garden or at a garden centre.

Your working environment may be outdoors in all weathers.

Career path and progression

With experience you could progress to a supervisor or manager role, or set up your own nursery or garden maintenance business.

You could move into a research job for a university, or with a food and agricultural development company.

Current opportunities

Apprenticeships In England

Apprentice Grounds Maintenance Operative

  • Wage : £230.88 Weekly
  • Location: Romsey SO51 0PD

Horticulture Apprenticeship

  • Wage : £180.00 Weekly
  • Location: Bruton BA7 7NG
Find apprenticeships near you

Courses In England

Horticulture

  • Provider: BEDFORDSHIRE & LUTON EDUCATION BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP
  • Start date: 01 September 2020
  • Location: Dunstable

RHS L2 Practical Horticulture Certificate

  • Provider: CAPEL MANOR COLLEGE
  • Start date: 09 September 2020
  • Location: Enfield
Find courses near you

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