Those interested in pursuing a career in horticulture will want to attend the Mount Congreve School of Horticulture open day on Wednesday, March 13 from 10:00am to 1:00pm.
The school opened in spring 2023 and the students from the first year of study are set to graduate later this year. These full-time students will be on hand on March 13 to share their experiences and first-hand knowledge of the course with potential new students.
The Mount Congreve School of Horticulture partnered with the Waterford and Wexford Education and Training Board to develop the horticultural training opportunity in Waterford.
The school is focused on maximising the educational potential of the world-renowned gardens. It aims to continue to nurture decades of gardening knowledge and ensure that the craft of horticulture is fostered for future generations.
Mount Congreve success
Over the last year, students have trained under the education staff and the team of craft gardeners.
Huge knowledge transfer, peer-to-peer learning and the fostering of an environment promoting passion for horticulture, have facilitated a sharing of knowledge and learning for all, according to course leader Gerard Mullen.
He said they were delighted to host their first open day at the Mount Congreve School of Horticulture to showcase the training facility and grounds.
“We’ve had a really successful inaugural year with the first 16 full-time students undertaking our learning programme which has been designed with a range of modules tailored to delivery within these historical gardens and outdoor facilities,” he said.
Mount Congreve Gardens represent a unique location for the provision of horticultural education and the vision of the School of Horticulture is to maximise this potential in creating a hub destination for broad and varied educational offerings in horticulture, the course leader said.
“Capturing the centuries-old knowledge that has been passed down through generations of gardeners here at Mount Congreve, is invaluable and we want to continue to nurture that knowledge transfer and help a host of new people to enter the world of professional horticulture,” he said.
Courses available
Students have the opportunity to study the full-time one-year horticulture training programme based at the School of Horticulture, which is fully supported and funded by the Waterford and Wexford Education & Training Board.
Applications for the level 5 certificate in horticulture 2024/ 2025 programme are now open.
The course provides an opportunity to study and train in one of the ‘great gardens of the world’ among the vast botanical plant collections; 4ac walled garden; Georgian glasshouses; wetlands; and woodland gardens – all of which present an opportunity to learn and experience a variety of microclimates and plant growing conditions, said the course leader.
The training programme has been designed to enable learners to acquire the relevant knowledge, skills, and competencies to carry out horticulture operations in a range of horticulture fields linked to local employment opportunities.
The award also enables learners to pursue further education and progression to a horticultural specialisation at level 6 or to higher education institutes at NFQ level 7.
The course offers 16 full-time places and is currently open for applications. The next course is set to commence in late April.
An introduction to the school and an overview of the level 5 certificate course will be followed by a tour of the gardens, botanical collections and facilities.
The day will provide the opportunity to meet with education staff and gardeners to explore the training programme and gain an insight into a career in horticulture.
Anyone interested in attending should register for the event by emailing [email protected]