How to become a horticultural worker
You can get into this job through:
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- applying directly
- training with a professional body
College
You could take a course at college. Relevant courses include:
- Level 1 Award in Practical Horticulture
- Level 2 Certificate or 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
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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
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Volunteering
You can gain experience through volunteering with organisations like the Royal Horticultural Society.
Direct Application
You can apply directly if you have experience of things like gardening, horticulture or retail work. 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.
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Career tips
Employers often recruit casual staff during busy growing periods so you may be able to get experience through part-time or holiday work while you study.
Further information
You can find out more about careers in horticulture through Grow Careers and The Royal Horticultural Society.