Guernsey Institute Suspends Horticulture Apprenticeship Program

The horticulture apprenticeship offered by The Guernsey Institute (TGI) has been suspended, attributed to insufficient interest in the program. According to TGI management, this decision follows a consistent decrease in student enrollments and input received from prominent figures within the industry. Professionals in the sector have indicated a six to 12-month waiting period to hire individuals possessing landscaping or gardening expertise. TGI stated its intention to reintroduce the course at a later date, provided there is an increase in demand. This apprenticeship program was reinstated at the college six years prior, initially attracting 14 students. However, only three students successfully completed the course during the previous year. Chris Torode, TGI’s director of apprenticeships, mentioned that his team regularly consulted with the horticultural sector regarding curriculum matters. He further explained that subsequent to the enrollment decline, he gathered feedback from industry participants indicating an evolution in their requirements, shifting focus from production horticulture towards landscaping and the architectural aspects of the field. Torode confirmed an agreement for the institute to place the apprenticeship into a “fallow period,” with a view to resuming it should demand rise. He stated: “Horticulture was the lifeblood of Guernsey and we were keen to support development in the sector. But the industry hasn’t materialised in the way we expected it to.” Jack Etheridge, who received his training in the UK, has been the proprietor of Auburn Gardens in Guernsey for a decade. He commented: “There’s absolutely oodles of work. For anyone half-decent, there’s a six to 12-month waiting list.” Etheridge noted that horticulture often carries a reputation for not being considered a genuine trade, despite requiring individuals with a diverse set of skills. He elaborated: “To be a good landscaper, you have to be able to put your hand to a lot of things in one day. “That’s what attracted me to it – it’s varied, you’re outside and you get to see parts of the island others don’t get to see.” While acknowledging that he does not exclusively seek qualifications when hiring personnel, he emphasized the significance of a “really strong” understanding of plants. He concluded: “At the end of the day, landscaping is all about creating gardens, and plants are at the core of gardens.”