18 April 2023

Corowa locals will be armed with the practical skills and experience to tap into the booming horticulture field with a special qualification being offered for the first time ever at TAFE NSW Corowa.

A face-to-face Certificate II in Horticulture is currently running at TAFE NSW Corowa, with strong enrolment numbers and students from a cross-section of ages and professional backgrounds.

It comes amid a COVID-induced explosion in interest in gardening careers, as many locked-down residents discovered a passion for horticulture and decided to pursue a career in the field. According to the Australian Government’s Job Outlook, the nation’s gardening services industry is set for strong growth in the next year, generating annual revenue of nearly $3 billion by 2024.

One local to take advantage of the fee-free course is Tom Costarella, 18, who is using it to broaden his horticultural knowledge – and job prospects. Currently working as a labourer for Murray River Landscaping, Mr Costarella said the course would give him the skills and knowledge to take his career to the next level.

“I wanted to broaden my knowledge and so was excited when I saw this course come up,” Mr Costarella said.

“I’ve gained so many new skills already and have lots of new knowledge about types of plants.”

TAFE NSW Corowa Head Teacher of Horticulture, Sarah Cox, said there were strong job outcomes for Certificate II in Horticulture graduates.

“Anything from working at a nursery to opening your own gardening services business,” Ms Cox said.

“We have had such a strong response to the course in Corowa and it really is an exciting time to be entering the industry.”

Australian Institute of Horticulture national president Alan Burnell said the new course would help the local industry build a pipeline of workers to cater for growing demand.

“We’ve seen incredible growth in the horticulture industry over the past few years as people are increasingly looking for jobs that are more sustainable both environmentally and financially,” he said.

Media contact: Dan Johns, TAFE NSW Communications Specialist, mobile 0477 722 428