Louisa Mansfield has been project manager of Future Gardeners since 2016, where it was her job to put together the programme. Run by The Worshipful Company of Gardeners, Bankside Open Spaces Trust, and the Royal Parks Guild, Future Gardeners seeks to give participants the skills needed to start a career in horticulture and is particularly keen on encouraging young people, or those who might not have qualifications.
On the podcast she speaks out about where the responsibility for overcoming the skills shortage lies with everyone, from employers to raise salaries and offer more training, to careers advisors at schools to help explain the opportunities within the industry.
Mansfield sees some light at the end of the tunnel and of course, Future Gardeners is also looking to help too. Mansfield outlines details of the FG training courses, work experience placements, how the course is diversifying the industry, and – with 76% of Future Gardeners who completed the course now working in the horticultural industry – what some of the students have gone on to do.
Presenter: HortWeek senior reporter Rachael Forsyth
Producer: HortWeek digital content manager Christina Taylor
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