A face-to-face Certificate II in Horticulture is currently running in Finley, with strong enrolment numbers and students from a cross-section of ages and professional backgrounds.
It comes amid a COVID-induced explosion in interest in gardening careers, as many locked-down residents discovered a passion for horticulture and decided to pursue a career in the field.
According to the Australian Government’s Job Outlook, the nation’s gardening services industry is set for strong growth in the next year, generating annual revenue of nearly $3 billion by 2024.
One local to take advantage of the fee-free course is former Finley High School deputy principal Tricia Jackson.
She had been toying with the idea of a part-time job at a local nursery after retiring from her 30 year career in education.
“I found I was a bit bored after retiring, and when the course came up I decided to enrol,” Mrs Jackson said.
“Not only was it a personal interest, but I thought it would help me secure a part-time job in horticulture.
“At my age, I thought it would be hard to gain employment without experience or a qualification.
“I’m loving the knowledge I’m gaining from the teachers, who are such experts in the field, and I also love the fact TAFE New South Wales is so hands-on.”
Finley TAFE head teacher of horticulture Sarah Cox said there were strong job outcomes for Certificate II in Horticulture graduates.
“Anything from working at a nursery to opening your own gardening services business,” Ms Cox said.
“We have had such a strong response to the course in Finley and it really is an exciting time to be entering the industry.”
Australian Institute of Horticulture national president Alan Burnell said the new course would help the local industry build a pipeline of workers to cater for growing demand.
“We’ve seen incredible growth in the horticulture industry over the past few years as people are increasingly looking for jobs that are more sustainable both environmentally and financially,” he said.
