The Chartered Institute of Horticulture (CIH) have launched a new membership category specifically for supporting early-career horticulturists.
The new ‘Career Builder’ membership offer is available to anyone with less than five years professional experience in horticulture. This will include college leavers, graduates, career changers and apprentices and builds on the existing free membership offered to registered horticultural students.
The scheme is designed to introduce early-career horticulturists to the principals of continuing professional development and participation in technical and learned societies.
Over the course of 3 years participants will be encouraged to reflect on their development requirements and then undertake appropriate CPD activities to build their competencies technically and professionally. Participants will submit a portfolio of their 15 hours CPD undertaken each year.
At the end of the 3-year scheme participants will be eligible for full membership and may wish to progress to full Chartered status.
This announcement further develops the Institute’s offering for early-career horticulturists, building on the strategy to attract, inspire, develop, and support new entrants to rewarding careers, with a particular focus on career-changers and apprentices. In 2022 the CIH appointed a dedicated early-career representative to their council of trustees and launched a termly electronic newsletter called ‘Growing Somewhere?’ which showcases career stories, industry insights, training schemes, further-study options and information on wellbeing, grants and bursaries.
To learn more about this opportunity, interested candidates should consult the CIH website or contact the CIH Development Officer Helen Sessions: developmentofficer@horticulture.org.uk
