Index
If you enjoy being outdoors and working with plants, then horticulture may be the industry for you. We spoke to lecturer in horticulture specialising in irrigation Neil Marriott, from South Metropolitan TAFE’s Murdoch campus to find out everything you need to know about pursuing a career in horticulture.
Neil defines horticulture as the cultivation of plants – “Plants might be cultivated for production, for food, flowers, fibre and medicinal purposes or for amenity, for public or private gardens,” he says.
While the field of horticulture is diverse and offers many varied roles, Neil outlined some of the common tasks that a job in horticulture may involve: “On any given day in a horticultural workplace, you may be propagating plants, pruning plants, fertilising plants, harvesting fruit or flowers, controlling pests, diseases or weeds.” he says.
“You may also find yourself operating, maintaining or installing irrigation systems. Depending on which sector of horticulture that you head into, you may also find yourself providing care to grass or turf areas, including mowing, fertilising and renovating.”
A growing industry
The world is beginning to recognise the importance of nature, both in the wild and in urban spaces . The industry’s rapid development means the demand for professionals with technical skills is beginning to grow.
Neil explains, “In WA employers in the production and amenity horticulture industries are desperate for workers. Food production is one of the biggest growth areas in the world. This requires people who are innovative and technically savvy.”
“More food production will be moved into protected cropping structures, potentially using hydroponic growing techniques, and will rely on automation. This will require people with good technical skills, who are capable of managing inputs to minimise cost of production and environmental impacts of production.”
“People are more interested and invested in their outdoor spaces, while managers of parks and gardens continue to look for interesting ways in which to innovate and develop these spaces.” says Neil. “Again, the pressure on resources will dictate that people with technical skill and knowledge and the ability to conserve resources will remain in demand in this sector of the horticulture industry.”
Cool careers
Career opportunities are diverse – there’s the chance to become a landscape gardener, nursery hand, landscape supervisor, greenkeeper, irrigation horticulturist or researcher.
Neil says that many organisations are eager to employ people with horticulture qualifications. These include garden maintenance companies, landscape construction companies, nurseries, shire councils, botanic gardens, zoological gardens, turf management companies, private gardens, irrigation companies, schools and farms.
Getting qualified
At TAFE International Western Australia (TIWA) you can study the following horticulture courses:
- AHC30716 Certificate III in Horticulture
- AHC40416 Certificate IV in Horticulture
- AHC50416 Diploma of Horticulture
For future students, Neil recommends researching the local industry first. That way, you can make sure that the course you’re completing is going to teach you the skills your industry requires.
And finally, here are a few more tips from Neil.
- Be prepared to work hard and get dirty. Horticulture isn’t a clean job a lot of the time.
- Be open to new things. The world of plants and soils is a source of continual fascination.
- Be curious. If you’re curious, you will learn as much as you are willing to take on board.
If you’re interested in finding out more, you can contact TIWA for advice(opens in a new tab) on how to navigate your study and career journey.