RHS Distance Learning

Hello everyone
I have been into gardening for around 15 years now (I am 29), and have been self employed full time gardener for around 18 months, and part time for maybe a couple of years prior.
I am now thinking about getting some horticulture qualifications under my belt now via distance learning, especially since work will be slowing down in 6-8 weeks, so I will have more spare time on my hands.
So I am looking at the RHS courses, maybe starting with L2, and then onto L3, or might just jump onto L3. I think I will have a chat with course providers to see what they think, given my experience and also having studied biology and chemistry at A-level (if that really matters).
Has anyone here used The Horticultural Correspondence College (HCC) or Edinburgh garden school to do such courses? If so, how would you rate the support you got and the notes? I have noticed that the latter has 50% off the L2 Principles in Horticulture.

 

Hi Baker,

Welcome to Gardeners Corner

Sorry I can't advise you on the courses etc, but I'm sure there'll be someone who'll be able to help you.

Well done on your business and good luck fir the future

 

I've looked into this but never gone further.

I have emailed colleges (Tameside College) who do courses, but because we're both over 24, the price is quite hefty that we have to pay.

I'm not sure if you can do level 2 or level 3 before doing level 1. You can only get a student loan if you're doing level 3, apparently. So you have to pay all of the fees in one go if it's level 1 or level 2.

Have any of your customers ever asked if you have qualifications? Monty Don's 'self-taught', as are many of the experienced guys on here who know pretty much everything there is to know

I would like to say I had a qualification in Horticulture but don't have the time to attend college and study, it is something I wish I did when I was 16, though!

Good luck and let us know how you get on

 

I studied a HND in Horticulture, alongside a few colleagues who studies the RHS certificates, except these were on site at a college. From what I know the RHS certicicates can be very quite demanding, and are more theory based than Diploma and degree courses in Horticulture. I'd personally talk to a course advisor.

I'd say you'd have to feel fairly confident in Identification in Latin for a wide range of plants shrubs and trees, an understanding of good practice within the field (eg correct pruning, soil types etc) and the willingness to stick to it however out your depth you may feel at times then go for the L3.

During my first few years while gaining my ND in Hort, there were a wide range of people, From hobbyists, new students, and people wanting to further their knowledge like yourself. I personally found on site education the most beneficial as I was able to gain help from those all around me. Some of these people even only did half a day and focused on the classes they wanted to know about. There are a few options available to you, it's picking the right one.

 

No one has ever asked. Like you, I would like to say I did have qualifications, and also like you, I wish I did something when I was younger. It is just something for myself.

I must admit, most areas I am confident on..... apart from Latin names.
I would love to do something at a college, but the 2 things that are problems is that now the nearest college is an hours drive away (on a good day) after my local college stopped hort qualifications a year or 2, and the 2nd is the lack of flexibility

 

This could be due to them removing the work experience year during study. There were a few in my class that didn't want to do the physical labour side. Weather was an issue with some too.

I'm struggling at work at getting good staff, qualified or not. Like you we will teach those we take on. We've lost two members of staff in the last two weeks. One quit this morning because it was raining! The other quit last Wednesday because his car had broken down and he wasn't going back to cycling to work again...less than a mile from his house to our yard!!!

Some days it makes me feel like packing it all in and going back to being a one man firm.

 

I have just had a go at some old L3 papers, and could answer nearly all questions on the R3103 plant health paper, but the others were challenging, but that's without studying and revision. But I think I will start with the Level 2, because I am not out to just get a pass, I want to do better, and the L2 will help, even if I wizz through it.

How do the RHS qualifications rank when compared to NVQs in terms of employability? Are they looked upon equally? Only asking that because I am now thinking about relocating next year, and if things didn't work out with the self-employment, I would look at working for someone

 

I hope posting links is allowed, but you should check out http://www.horticulturejobs.co.uk/. You could use it as a bit of a guide to see what employers are looking for. I employ people mainly around performing maintenance tasks, and although I don't ask for any specific qualification, knowledge is handy. I'd be over the moon if you came to interview with a valid driving license PA1 & PA6 spraying license, and or a chainsaw license, and any for of qualification within horticulture or aboriculture.

 

Have you seen this document from RHS? https://www.rhs.org.uk/education-le...g/rhs-qualifications/approved-centre-list-v42

It has a lot of approved centres that do courses, my local one does level 1/2 for an evening class for 40 weeks, I think 2 hours per week. It costs £345 which I think is great value. I just missed it this year so I think next september I am going to sign up. They teach level 1 and 2 at the same time, so if you are a fast learner then you will probably learn a hell of a lot.

 

A bit of an update.
I went for the L2 with Edinburgh garden school.
Did the 1st mod in a week. Must admit, the info I have got seems to be more in depth than what L2 standards were 10 years back. Some stuff is very in depth, more than what I even did at college.
Thankfully, I am good at condensing info for notes, I am converting approx 136 pages into 4 or 5