Eden Project

Last call for Eden Horticultural Apprenticeship applications

Could we be fostering the next Alan Titchmarsh here at Eden? Like many of today’s leading figures in the horticulture world, the TV gardener and presenter began his career as an apprentice.

We’re keeping the tradition alive at Eden by offering our own Horticulture Apprenticeship scheme at our world famous gardens. Applications for the 12-month programme, starting in September 2011, should be submitted by Monday 27 June.

In a nutshell, apprentices on the scheme, run in association with Cornwall’s Duchy College, benefit from the opportunity to:

• get paid while they learn, thanks to a training allowance provided by Eden
• receive quality advice and support from Eden’s experienced horticultural team as well as one day a week’s formal training with Duchy College
• learn the craft on the job, with six-week stints in different areas of our gardens, including the outer estate, the outdoor gardens, the Rainforest and Mediterranean Biomes, the nursery and even our temporary displays
• gain a qualification widely recognised within the industry – a Level 2 Diploma in Work Based Horticulture (formerly known as NVQ), considered to be equivalent to five good GCSEs.

John Porter (pictured), who’s about to join the Rainforest Biome team as a paid member of staff this September, started his horticultural career as an apprentice at Eden.

A former tailor in London’s prestigious Saville Row, John decided on a career change when the recession hit his company several years ago. After quitting the London life and heading for Cornwall he first signed up for our Taste of Eden programme, a European Social Fund financed scheme to get people back into paid work, before he got a place as an Eden Horticultural Apprentice.

‘The variety of the work has been great,’ he says. ‘I’ve loved my time in the Biomes, outdoors, in the nursery, learning everything from seed sowing to pruning.’ Having only dabbled with gardening and been out of school for some 25 years, he said it was great to find a programme where he could ‘start from scratch. A Foundation Degree might have been too much for me.’

Despite doing somewhat of a career u-turn, he’s realised that his previous experience has nevertheless held him in good stead. ‘Tailoring is a creative industry, but you must have good attention to detail – gardening has just the same high standards.’ Not surprisingly, the former tailor’s favourite gardening activity isn’t so far removed from his days as a cloth cutter… pruning!

Eden’s Chair of Horticulture Don Murray says the apprenticeship is a great opportunity for would-be gardeners. ‘The majority of garden workers are aged over 45 and there is a lack of young people entering the profession to learn the skills. Apparently some 60,000 people will have to be replaced within the industry over the next few years. Who will be the future of commercial growers, garden retailers, landscapers and horticulturalists?’

There’s just one week left to apply for the scheme – by Monday 27 June 2011. Get full details on our current vacancies page.

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Education, Horticulture

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gardens, Horticulture