Research by the Royal Horticultural Society in their Horticulture Matters report suggests that there is an increasing decline in the number of people training in horticulture. The number of students studying horticulture after school is also declining.
This creates a sweet spot for anyone who is interested in working in horticulture. There are less people studying in horticulture BUT more jobs available!
If horticulture is something you would love to do, why not consider training horticulture today and take advantage of this?
Horticulture is a broad area. The Oxford Dictionary defines horticulture as “the art or practice of garden cultivation and management.”
But it is so much more than that. Horticulture covers –
- Biophilia
- Landscaping
- Crops
- Plant taxonomy
- Weed control
- Sports turf management
- Permaculture
- Horticultural marketing
- Working in nature parks
- Garden centres and plant nurseries
- Horticultural writer
- Horticulture teacher
- Botany
The list is virtually limitless.
You’ve decided you want to study horticulture. Now you need to decide what area of horticulture you want to work in.
What Area of Horticulture?
When considering a career in horticulture, your first step is to consider what area of horticulture you would like to go into.
Do you want to train in general horticulture at first and perhaps specialise later?
Do you want to specialise straight away?
Do you want to be outdoors or more indoors?
Do you want to work advising and supporting people?
Once you have decided on the area or areas of horticulture that interest you, you now need to consider what training you need. There are lots of horticultural courses available, so it is important to consider which course is the right one for you.
Let’s look at what things to consider when looking for a horticultural course.
What type of course are you looking for?
Consider if you want a specialist or general qualification. If you are not entirely sure which area of horticulture you want to go into, you might consider a general course in horticulture, such as Horticulture I.
If you have already decided on the area of horticulture, then choose a specialist qualification.
How Long Do You Want to Study For?
When you have decided on the qualification, you need to consider how long you want to study. Horticultural courses can be short, such as a few weeks, to longer courses, such as a few years. It is important to consider how long you want to study for. Different careers in horticulture will have different requirements for training and study, so bear this in mind. Consider –
- Do I want to study initially for a few months or weeks?
- Am I happy to study for a few years?
Some courses will provide you with the skills and knowledge to begin working as a horticulturalist. This does not mean that your training has to stop there though. You might choose to study a general horticulture course, for example, use that as a way to start working in horticulture, then take further courses to specialise if you want to. It is entirely up to you. That is the beauty of horticulture. You can choose to work in so many different ways.
Range of Courses
When choosing an education provider, look at the range of courses that they offer.
- Do they only offer one course? Why?
- Can I progress to more advanced qualifications, such as certificates?
- Can I specialise and study in different areas?
Theory and Practical Experience
When looking at courses, consider what they offer –
- Do they provide up to date theory and knowledge?
- Will I get practical experience?
Tutors
Look at the tutors that the course offers.
- Are they experienced?
- Do they have a wide range of experience in horticulture?
- Are they experts in their field?
- Are they experienced teachers?
A good horticulturalist isn’t necessarily a good teacher. So you want to make sure that your teacher is good at horticulture AND teaching.
How Do You Want To Study?
There are many different training providers offering horticultural courses. You can study horticultural in a traditional face to face college.
- College or university based courses
- TAFEs
- Training providers
Studying in a traditional college can be studied full time or part time, but usually involves you being a full time student.
The other, more convenient option, can be to study online courses. Studying online enables you to continue in your existing job, while you are studying in horticulture. Studying online also means that you can study at a time and location to suit you, and work at your own pace. Something that is not usually possible at a traditional college.
We are all different and prefer to study in different ways. So consider –
- Do I want to attend an educational establishment to study?
- Do I want to study at set times each week?
- Do I want to study online so I can study where I want to?
- Do I want the flexibility of studying when suits me?
Why Study With ACS?
You have your plan, you know what you want to study, but you are not sure where to study? Why not consider beginning your horticultural training journey with us? There are so many reasons to study with ACS
Range of Courses
- We offer a wide range of horticultural courses. CLICK HERE
- You can study general horticulture or specialise in a course to suit you.
- You can also expand your learning as you study.
- We aim to be flexible, so students can study one course, then move on to the next and so on. You can study one course or as many as you like with us.
Study Online or By E-Learning
- Our courses are all studied online or by e-learning (where you receive the course on a USB memory stick).
- You study where YOU want to.
- Our courses are all self-paced. You study when YOU want to!
Up To Date Theory
Our horticultural courses are regularly updated to ensure that the theory and knowledge in the courses is up to date!
Practical Experience
You may think that studying online means that you will not gain practical experience, but with us, that is not true. Our courses encourage you to gain practical experience and undertake practical tasks as part of our courses.
Tutors
All of our tutors are highly experienced horticulturalists. They are also all great tutors! ACS was actually established in 1979 by John Mason, a highly experienced horticulturalist who has provided the leadership for ACS to develop more and more horticultural courses in the last 43 years.
Our tutors are enthusiastic about their subject and committed to horticulture. They want to share that experience and knowledge with you.
If you are thinking of studying horticulture, think about studying with us!
Not sure what to study or overwhelmed by the choice we offer for courses in Horticulture ?
Contact a horticultural tutor who can assist in choosing the correct course for your needs . CLICK HERE FOR FREE COURSE COUNSELLING