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Commercial Horticultural Worker
Also known as: Horticultural Worker, CommercialMarket Garden Worker
Nursery Garden Worker
Introduction
Commercial horticultural workers grow, look after and harvest plant stock. They may specialise in fruit farms or orchards, for example, where the work involves spraying, mulching, pruning, picking and grading.
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Aspects of Work
The following table lists the Central Aspects for this career:
| Central Aspects |
| Being physically active and on your feet |
| Working with plants |
The following table lists the Secondary Aspects for this career:
| Secondary Aspects |
| Working outdoors in any weather |
| Learning new practical skills |
| Getting your hands messy or dirty |
| Doing small and detailed tasks needing careful handling |
The following table lists the Other Aspects for this career:
| Other Aspects |
| Being interested in the biology of animals and plants |
| Lifting or carrying heavy things |
| Working on your own for long periods of time |
| Working evenings or weekends |
Work Activities
Horticultural workers involved in commercial horticulture grow, look after and harvest plant stock. Some specialise in fruit farms or orchards where the work involves spraying, mulching, pruning, picking and grading. Where they work with crops under glass, they look after flower stock or fruit crops, such as tomatoes. They prepare soil beds, sow seed and plant cuttings.
Other tasks include controlling heat, light, temperature, humidity and watering, often with sophisticated computers. Horticultural workers control pests by spraying the stock with chemicals and also pick and pack produce ready to be sent to retailers or markets.
During the busy harvest times, horticultural workers may also be required to supervise casual staff. They may also be required to drive tractors and use other light machinery such as hedge trimmers, rotavators and mowers as well as using hand tools. They may be required to carry out basic maintenance and minor repairs to tools and equipment.
Most horticultural workers work outdoors in all weather conditions. For certain jobs such as spraying, they may have to wear protective clothing including face protection.
In garden centres, the emphasis is on retail sales to the general public. Such products would include field vegetables, fruit, protection crops grown under glass or polythene, and hardy nursery stock, such as trees, shrubs, roses and herbaceous plants.
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Personal Qualities and Skills
You will need to be fit as the work can be physically demanding involving digging, lifting and carrying. You need to be able to understand technical information about how plants grow, the effect of pests and disease, and how to control them. A driving licence is useful although not essential.
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Pay and Opportunities
Salaries will vary depending on the employer, qualifications and specific job description. Salaries usually start at the current national minimum wage (see www.citizensinformation.ie) but will increase with experience.
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Entry Routes and Training
Training can be done on the job but there are a number of relevant courses available throughout the country. Teagasc and FÁS also run relevant courses.
Please visit QualifaX at http://www.qualifax.ie/ for more information on relevant courses. (Please note that you will be leaving the Career Directions website. You should save your answers if you wish to return later).
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Qualifications
Educational requirements vary and interested candidates should contact the individual colleges directly for more specific details.
Application for admission to undergraduate courses must be made in accordance with the regulations and procedures and timetable described in the CAO Handbook
The Handbook is confined to giving information on how to apply for admission to the relevant institutions. Applicants should not attempt to complete the application form without first referring to the information literature on courses, which is available from the institutions to which application is to be made.
Please see http://www.cao.ie/courses.php for information on course qualifications.
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Adult Opportunities
There is no upper age limit for entry to this profession. Experience in gardening or other outdoor work, paid or unpaid, can be an advantage. Teagasc welcomes applications from mature students.
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Further Information
Resources
- Careers Working Outdoors by A Shepherd. Kogan Page Ltd. (Careers in Series)
Contacts
- Central Applications Office (CAO) - for application information, for course content / college information see QualifaX below.
- Website: http://www.cao.ie
- National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin 9.
- Telephone: (01) 804 0201
- Email: botanic.college@teagasc.ie
- Website: http://www.teagasc.ie/botanicgardens
- Qualifax,
- Email: info@qualifax.ie
- Website: http://www.qualifax.ie
- Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland, Cabinteely House, The Park, Cabinteely, Dublin 18.
- Telephone: (01) 668 4358
- Email: info@rhsi.ie
- Website: http://www.rhsi.ie
- Teagasc - Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority, Head Office, Oak Park, Carlow.
- Telephone: (059) 9170200
- Email: info@teagasc.ie
- Website: http://www.teagasc.ie


