Welcome to Careers in Horticulture 2006, the Horticulture Week careers guide.
 
Each year, we produce the guide to inform budding horticulturists about the work and training on offer in the industry.
 
But this year, we have expanded our coverage to include both a look at the opportunities available to the growing number of second-career horticulturists and career development for those already working in the industry, with on-the-job training and continuing professional development.
 
The industry really is for everybody. There are no bars on age, sex, race or disability. But now, more than ever, horticulture needs trained recruits. At a recent seminar on green skills, 18 bodies, including the world-renowned Royal Horticultural Society, National Trust and English Heritage, discussed the skills gaps in horticulture. An ageing workforce means there are opportunities, and chances for rapid promotion, everywhere in the industry.
 
And if you've got what it takes to get to the top, the wages are better than you might think. In this guide, we mention garden retailer James Barnes, who earns £200,000 a year running a stock-exchange-quoted firm.We also tell the story of former roadie Nick Biddle, who gave up the rock n roll life for study at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the rewarding life of a Royal Parks gardener.
 
That's the key draw of our industry: job satisfaction. Biddle says: "I live on site now in Regent's Park and I love my job." And once you've decided on your career direction, you'll find the largest source of horticultural jobs every week in Horticulture Week.
 
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