Kangan Institute Blog

7 Growing Career Options in Horticulture

From plant production and landscape gardening to retail and business management, there are many rewarding career options in horticulture. It’s a broad and progressive industry, with plenty of room to grow in a number of challenging roles.

At Kangan Institute, we offer a variety of TAFE Courses in horticulture that will give you the skills and qualification necessary to make your mark in the industry; whether you’re just starting out, or you’re ready to step it up a level with a Certificate III in Horticulture (AHC30716).

Learn more about some of the different horticulture career pathways you could potentially explore

1. Business management

Armed with a Diploma of Horticulture, you could work towards managing your own horticulture business. It doesn’t matter what sector of the industry you’re interested in, opening up your own enterprise is a rewarding way to forge a successful career. From setting up a vegetable farm or nursery to managing a landscaping service or turf management firm, there are many ways to establish a solid business in the industry.

2. Research

Are you more interested in the scientific side of horticulture? TAFE courses are a great way to begin your journey. As a researcher, you might look into ways of improving the quality of flowers, fruits, vegetables and ornamental plants. On the other hand, you might become a Plant Pathologist, learning about the diseases that attack plants, as well as conducting experimental research into finding cures.

Horticulture is a constantly evolving field – committed to innovation, growth, and sustainability. If you follow this pathway, you’ll find that research is a respected and fascinating part of the industry.

3. Consultancy

Horticulture serves a huge number of functions in society. This means that businesses, organisations, and councils will always rely on the advice and expertise of people with niche backgrounds. This makes consultancy one of the most interesting and varied career options in horticulture.

One week you might give practical advice to a local council on the types of grass that best suit a park. The next week you could be talking to farmers about the best fertiliser options for their crops. Consultancy is a meaningful profession, helping businesses of all shapes and sizes meet their financial potential.

4. Marketing

At Kangan Institute, our TAFE courses are designed to develop your skills and understanding across many sectors in horticulture. As well giving you the practical know-how to succeed, you can also use this knowledge to break into the marketing side of the industry.

What does a career in marketing look like? You could be involved in the wholesale or retail selling of fresh and processed fruits and vegetables, flowers, houseplants, or nursery stock. You could also become a buyer for a supermarket, wholesale distributor, or private institution.

5. Education

Always loved the idea of teaching? With a Diploma of Horticulture, you’ll have the skills and knowledge needed to educate others about the world of plants. If you choose to open a garden centre, nursery, florist or other business, you will have the opportunities to put on presentations, give expert advice, or even speak at local markets and horticultural events. Later down the track, you might be interested in furthering your education and becoming a qualified teacher in high schools or universities.

6. Communications

While not as hands-on as other career options in horticulture, getting involved in the media and communication aspects of the industry can be rewarding. From arboriculture to floriculture, to agronomics, there are many sectors within horticulture. If you specialise in a particular area, and you’ve got a flair for writing, you can develop a career contributing articles to farm and garden magazines, or local and national newspapers.

On the other hand, if you feel comfortable in front of the camera or behind the microphone, you could even pursue a career as a horticultural presenter, helping stimulate important discussions about the industry.

7. Landscape construction and design

You can put your organisational and practical skills to good use as a landscape contractor. This involves tasks such as installing residential and commercial projects, interpreting blueprints, estimating and bidding, and being involved in the sales process.

If you’re after a more inventive career, becoming a landscape designer allows you to create gardens using combinations of plants and hardscapes. This will test out your aesthetic intelligence, as well as your knowledge of soil science and plant physiology.

TAFE courses at Kangan Institute can open up a range of horticulture career pathways. While they can be pursued separately, you can combine your interests through managing your own business. Completing a Diploma of Horticulture is a great way of achieving this.