Horticultural consultant
Horticultural consultants support a wide range of businesses and public sector organisations in the successful development of their products and resources. The role may involve business consultancy or technical consultancy (in areas such as crop management, or for public amenities). The consultant researches the issue in question in order to identify practical solutions and advise the client of the options and the most effective solutions.
Clients may include: farmers; commercial growers specialising in protected and field crops, or flowers; plant and tree nurseries; and leisure and conservation organisations or public bodies involved in the restoration, operation and maintenance of parks, botanical and public gardens and other public spaces.
A horticultural consultant may be a business specialist, experienced in the business problems of the horticultural industry, or a technical specialist, focusing on commercial or amenity horticulture. There is an increasing emphasis on considering the environmental aspects of horticulture and technology transfer, such as sustainability, and on quality assurance in the growing of crops and plants.
Typical activities include:
Within horticultural consultancy there are three distinct but interrelated streams:
For all streams, the following degree subjects are considered most relevant:
For business consultancy, in addition to those subjects listed above, any business degree with a strong horticultural or agricultural background is acceptable. For technical consultancy, a directly relevant MSc or PhD is advantageous. An HND in agricultural and horticultural sciences plus substantial work experience will be acceptable for some posts.
Entry into consultancy without significant practical experience of the horticultural industry is difficult, so opportunities for new graduates are rare. In many cases, at least ten years' practical experience is needed. Many people enter this career area after developing their own business as a grower or acquiring much needed technical expertise in industry or research. Occasionally, however, agricultural or horticultural consultancies may advertise posts open to graduates without direct relevant experience; these are usually at technical assistant or assistant consultant level. In addition, colleges and university schools of agriculture and horticulture that also offer advisory services sometimes employ postgraduate students as assistants on client-based projects.
Candidates will need to show evidence of the following:
A full driving licence is essential and new entrants should be prepared to work anywhere in the UK.
Horticulture work is available overseas though is generally competitive so it is helpful to have language skills, where relevant, and a professional qualification. Post-qualification experience will also increase your chances of finding employment, especially with specialist posts with foreign governments, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), development agencies and consultancies.
Try to obtain a work experience placement or vacation work within the industry. Do not underestimate the value of short-term contracts as these may provide the way of gaining a good range of relevant experience. Some group training programmes exist, such as the Management Development Services (MDS) scheme, which recruits and trains new graduates on behalf of a consortium of employers in the fresh food and produce sector. The consortium includes growers, suppliers and retailers and the programme provides two years of 'fast-track' management training, leading to a Postgraduate Certificate in Food and Fresh Produce Management.
For more information, see work experience and internships and search courses and research.
The training offered by agricultural and horticultural consultancies involves a mixture of short courses and project work, supervised by a senior and more experienced colleague. The structure and duration of any training programme will depend upon the size of the consultancy and the pressures of business.
Graduates aiming to become technical consultants should look for employers who will provide the training necessary to obtain Basis (Registration) Ltd qualifications or equivalent. BASIS, the British Agrochemical Standards Inspection Scheme, is an independent organisation set up by the agricultural and horticultural industries to provide training and maintain professional standards in areas including plant nutrition, pesticides and fertilisers. It publishes a register of practitioners qualified to give professional advice in these subject areas. To be included on the register, members must demonstrate that they keep their technical knowledge up to date through a range of recognised and assessed training activities.
If you are an independent consultant, it will be your own responsibility to keep up to date both in your specialist area and in the horticultural sector overall. This is done mainly through personal contacts, short courses and attendance at conferences and will be at your own expense. The key professional bodies, such as the Institute of Horticulture (IoH) and the International Plant Propagators' Society (IPPS) (see their UK regional web page), offer a range of training and networking opportunities.
On first joining a consultancy, graduates tend to work in a general role and it is only later, with some experience, they will specialise. In commercial consultancies, progress is from junior consultant via senior consultant to team leader, with a possible invitation to become a partner or director. In manufacturing-based consultancies and the public sector, promotion from team leader will be to manager, either within the consultancy itself or in other areas of activity within the business or local authority.
Promotion for horticultural consultants and advisers, as in any form of consultancy, is based on performance and, in commercial consultancies, revenue earned. The career pathway followed will depend on the size and structure of the employing organisation and may require you to relocate. You may combine consultancy work with running your own commercial growing business or teaching or conducting research in a university.
For independent consultants there is no set career structure, although setting up your own business may be the ultimate aim in a horticultural career. Career structure and pathways will depend upon a number of factors including successful networking, luck, dedication and hard work.
Like most industries, horticulture has been affected by the recession; in part because of the reductions in funding given to commissioning public bodies and charities. However, a good number of employment opportunities continue to arise around the UK and abroad, and the likelihood of finding employment will be greatly enhanced by geographical mobility.
Typical employers include:
Significant numbers of horticultural consultants are self-employed. The Association of Independent Crop Consultants (AICC) and the British Institute of Agricultural Consultants (BIAC) each have several hundred members.
Useful directories include:
Most consultancies only have a small number of vacancies each year. Many do not recruit on a regular basis and vacancies are advertised as they arise, if at all. Speculative contact with consultancies can be useful as many posts are filled by informal networking.
Recruitment agencies rarely handle vacancies.
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