Future Gardeners Work Experience Charter

Meaningful work experience is a key component to the Future Gardeners course and is fundamental to supporting our students into long term careers in the industry.  Understanding this, we have created the Future Gardeners Work Placement Charter that sets a benchmark for purposeful and supportive work experience opportunities in the Horticultural industry.

We already have several organisations as signatories including Kew Gardens, Royal Historical Palaces (Hampton Court and Kensington Palace), Grosvenor Estates, Frognal Gardens, Chelsea Physic Gardens and Provender Nurseries.

Championing horticultural careers

The committee sees MPs look at career pathways into land-based sectors, which cover outdoor jobs like farming and horticulture, how the sector can attract and retain workers, and what its future workforce might look like.

Bankside Open Spaces Trust submitted written evidence to the committee from Louisa Mansfield and Shereen Chung-Blake of our Future Gardeners programme. Our evidence focused on the value of environmental horticulture, its benefits to the economy, and proven track record of tackling inequalities in employment for minority groups and those with disabilities. We asked that environmental horticulture be included in the government’s green jobs and skills definitions and that the value of this sector is recognised. To read more, including a snapshot of our evidence, click here.

Future Gardeners course applications

We are now offering Future Gardeners programmes in three separate locations across London – Central, East and South East. Please indicate which programme you are applying for in the short form below. If you have any questions on any of the programmes, please email futuregardeners@bost.org.uk or call 020 7403 3393.  All course are completely free and run part-time two days a week.

 The Central programme runs from Waterloo three times a year starting in January, May and September. The course is completely free and runs for 10 weeks – this is part-time at two days a week and a two-week full-time work placement. Sessions are based at Living Space (near Waterloo) and Roots and Shoots (near Kennington). The course includes studying for a Level 1 City and Guilds horticultural qualification plus visits and workdays to other locations across London. The next course starting in September 2024 is now full and we are not taking any further applications. If you are still interested in the course, please fill out the form below and you will be considered for the next course starting in January 2025. We will be in touch with you about the next steps in the application process nearer the course start date.

The East programme – we are now taking applications for a Future Gardeners programme at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (QEOP). This includes a Level 1 City and Guilds Award qualification and a one week pre-employment course including Level 1 Health & Safety and CSCS card based at the Build East Skills Centre in QEOP. The course is free of charge and travel expenses will be paid. It will start on Monday 30th September with the first week being Mon-Fri, then two days a week, ending on the 13th November, including a two-week full-time work experience placement. To be eligible to apply for a place on this course you will need to be a resident of either London Borough of Newham or Tower Hamlets, have the right to work in the UK, unemployed, earning under £16,000 per year & be over the age of 18. The closing date for applications is the 20th September and there will be an assessment day on Thursday 26th September at Build East Skills Centre at QEOP.

The South East programme is going to be running in Thamesmead in early 2025 in partnership with Peabody and Maylim. This will run for 8 weeks and include a Level 1 City and Guilds Award qualification.  Please register your interest in the form below and we will be in touch with more information towards the end of the year.

How To Apply

To apply, please follow the link below. Good Luck!