‘Growing’ Careers in Horticulture at CAFRE’s Greenmount Campus

First year students on CAFRE’s further education Horticulture and Floristry programmes took the opportunity to demonstrate their skills at the Horticulture and Floristry Parents’ Consultation Evening held recently at the College’s Greenmount Campus. Mr Paul Mooney, Head of Horticulture Education Branch, welcomed students and their parents and invited parents to meet with year managers of the Diploma and Extended Diploma courses in Horticulture and Floristry.

First year students on CAFRE’s further education Horticulture and Floristry programmes took the opportunity to demonstrate their skills at the Horticulture and Floristry Parents’ Consultation Evening held recently at the College’s Greenmount Campus. Mr Paul Mooney, Head of Horticulture Education Branch, welcomed students and their parents and invited parents to meet with year managers of the Diploma and Extended Diploma courses in Horticulture and Floristry.

Caroline Mathers, Programme Manager for Further Education Horticulture and Floristry, gave a short presentation highlighting the employment success of last year’s graduates in a range of industry sectors, and the College’s amazing track record of success in national competitions in landscaping and floristry. Caroline stated that “this year, Siobhan Hughes, Newry, became the first Greenmount floristry graduate to win an RHS Chelsea Medal and floristry graduate. Heather Hume, Randalstown, will compete in the Advanced Worldskills UK Floristry Final at the NEC, Birmingham in November. In Horticulture, three of the six strong Landscaping Squad UK graduated on CAFRE’s Level 3 Extended Diploma in Horticulture programme in June, and have already been awarded three RHS Medals for their pristine show gardens constructed at Tatton Park Flower Show.’

Mrs Mathers also congratulated one of the students, Aaron Jamison, Crossgar, who also achieved a Medal of Excellence for his construction work at the Euroskills Competition held in Belgium last month. Following this success, three current Level 3 students have been invited by the Worldskills organisation to showcase their landscaping skills to a UK wide audience later in November.

Barry Kelly, Assistant Accommodation Manager at Greenmount, was on hand to answer any questions about accommodation and Campus facilities. He also explained something of the extensive range of Campus wide clubs and societies, events and visits available to students studying at Greenmount and encouraged all students to become involved.


Gemma Pearson, Antrim, a Level 2 Diploma in Horticulture student, with her uncle and mother at CAFRE’s recent Parents’ Consultation Evening at Greenmount Campus.


Mrs Molloy (far left), and her daughter, Jemma, from Ballycastle, a Level 2 Diploma in Floristry student, with floristry lecturers, Sherry Suett and Anne Marie Grant, and the display of students’ floristry designs at CAFRE’s recent Parents’ Consultation Evening at Greenmount Campus.


Level 2 Diploma in Horticulture student, Adam Kelly, Altnagelvin, Londonderry, with his family at CAFRE’s recent Parents’ Consultation Evening at Greenmount Campus.


Level 2 Diploma in Floristry student, Hannah Cousins, Kilkeel, shows one of her sympathy designs to her mother at CAFRE’s recent Parents’ Consultation Evening at Greenmount Campus.


Level 3 Extended Diploma in Horticulture student, Ivan Buchanan, Kells, Ballymena, demonstrates some of the practical work done as part of his Estate Skills unit at the recent Parents’ Consultation Evening at CAFRE’s Greenmount Campus.


Level 3 Extended Diploma in Horticulture student, Jonathon Patterson, Maze, Lisburn, with his family at the recent Parents’ Consultation Evening at CAFRE’s Greenmount Campus.

Source: CAFRE – ‘Growing’ Careers in Horticulture at CAFRE’s Greenmount Campus