Picture someone working in horticulture. Are you imagining a person in a field, doing back breaking work all day, with little pay? That’s a huge misconception people have about working in horticulture.
In reality, it’s an industry with a huge variety of roles in horticulture. You could work in a field or in an office. There are roles with short shifts. And pay varies across the wide variety of roles.
So let’s clear up some misconceptions.
Fiction: Horticulture is just gardening and farm work.
Fact: Horticulture encompasses a wide range of exciting careers beyond traditional farming. It includes plant science research, new product development, and roles in advanced technologies like agricultural robotics and data analysis
Fiction: All horticulture jobs are low-paying
Fact: While some entry-level positions may have modest salaries, many specialised roles in horticulture offer competitive pay.
Careers in plant breeding, agronomy, and horticultural technology can be comparable to other careers. Additionally, horticulture offers numerous opportunities for advancement. You can start with entry-level positions and, with experience and further education, progress to managerial roles or specialised areas where salaries can increase significantly.
Fiction: Horticulture careers are limited to rural areas.
Fact: While there are plenty of opportunities in rural settings, many major growing regions sit on the urban fringes, as they need to be close to markets. Some operations also have city or town-based offices. There are lots of reasons you might be based in the city while working in the industry.
Fiction: You can’t transition into horticulture from a different career later in life
Fact: Many people successfully transition into horticulture from other industries. The field offers opportunities for those with backgrounds in business, technology, environmental science, and more.
Short courses, certifications, and on-the-job training can help ease the transition and provide the necessary skills. Related degrees such as science, sales, and marketing can transition over quite easily.
Learn about the wide variety of careers in horticulture on the Growing a Career in Horticulture website!
