Jobs In Horticulture

Horticultural jobs fall into one of three categories:

1. Amenity Horticulture – covers anything that is concerned with creating or enhancing an environment that is more functional or aesthetically pleasing; including turf, parks, landscaping, arboriculture and gardening.

2. Production Horticulture – covers enterprises that are creating products from plants; including fruits, vegetables and nursery stock to crops harvested for oil production or seed.

3. General Horticulture – These are jobs that overlap both production and amenity (e.g. a teacher may teach both groups, a writer may write for both and a scientist may undertake research relevant to both. Many horticultural jobs are within small businesses.

Opportunities abound for self-employment in this industry; it is common for graduates from horticulture courses to spend at least part of their working life running their own business. Small businesses do employ horticultural staff too - but opportunities are obviously always going to be limited if you work for a relatively small business. Over the years governments (generally) have gone through cycles of employing, but then sacking large numbers of staff. In recent times even large companies (that may have existed for over 100 years and may seem a secure employer), have closed divisions and sacked employees on a large scale.

Some horticultural enterprises are large, and opportunities to move along a career pathway (e.g. gardener to supervisor to manager) do exist, but in a world that is changing as fast as it has been, it is wise to consider how uncertain the future of any career pathway might be (in any industry).

MORE ADVICE

Use our FREE COURSE & CAREERS ADVISORY SERVICE (click)

Jobs In Horticulture

More from ACS

Getting Work in Horticulture

Starting a Garden or Landscape Business

Starting a Nursery or Herb Farm

Associate Diploma in Horticulture