What is the day-to-day work of a gardener with a federal certificate in production like?

Gardeners with a federal certificate plan and organize the production of plant crops from cultivation to the end product and align crop management with production targets. They define work processes, draw up deployment plans for employees and ensure efficient utilization of machinery and equipment. If damage occurs to the plants, they determine the cause of the damage and implement the appropriate measures. To instruct employees and train apprentices, they describe the development processes of plants and the effect of growth factors on plant production processes.

They sell their horticultural services to private and business customers and organize the implementation. In the sales area, they advise customers on the appropriate use and care of plants and inform them about the properties and possible uses of materials, supplies and equipment for plants and the garden. As a manager in the company, gardeners continuously analyze and improve the processes in procurement, production, sales and advice. They plan sales promotion measures, implement them and check their effectiveness. You will find employment as a production gardener in nurseries, horticultural businesses, in retail or in garden centers.

The following areas of work are typical for gardener production:

• Directing, monitoring and controlling work in the cultivation of ornamental plants, shrubs or perennials
• Determine material requirements and organize purchasing
• Check deliveries
• Create deployment plans for personnel
• Responsibility for the quality of work and compliance with regulations
• Writing work reports
• Create invoices
• Advice and support for customers
• Personnel and administrative management tasks, instruction of employees, training of apprentices
• Planning and calculation of production and sales
• Organization and management of plant sales
• Advice for customers
• Contact with suppliers and major customers
• Market analyses, tracking demand development, marketing and sales promotion tasks

Target group and skills: Who is the professional examination for gardeners with a federal certificate in production suitable for? What qualities and skills are required?

The gardener production training is aimed at the following people:

• Gardener EFZ and gardener EFZ who would like to continue their professional training
• Completed basic training in the green sector and gained initial work experience in production
• skilled workers in the executive area of a plant production company who would like to take on a management role

The following skills and characteristics are required for a successful job as a production gardener:

• Interest in nature, interest in plants, powers of observation
• Service and customer awareness
• Quality awareness
• Communicativeness
• Sales talent
• Independent and flexible
• Imagination
• Efficient way of working
• Organizational skills and reliability
• Resilience and weather resistance
• Practical aptitude and manual dexterity
• Leadership qualities
• Technical understanding, interest in motorized devices and machines

Requirements for admission to the professional examination in garden production:

The following prerequisites are required for admission to the final examination (federal professional examination) as a production gardener:

• Apprenticeship qualification with a federal certificate of competence as a gardener in production or equivalent qualification
• and at least 2 years of professional experience in production

or

• Apprenticeship qualification with a federal certificate of proficiency in another profession
• and at least 5 years of professional experience in production

and

• Proof of the required module qualifications or certificates of equivalence

If demand is high, some schools select course participants according to criteria such as professional experience, previously completed further training and grades in the qualification procedure.

You will be informed in writing at least three months before the start of the examination whether you meet the requirements for the professional examination in gardener production - in the event of rejection, including reasons and information on legal remedies.

Subject matter and content of the further training course for production gardeners:

The subject matter of the preparatory courses for the vocational examination for gardeners with a specialist certificate in production is based on the specifications of the sponsor of the federal examination, theJardin Suisse Swiss Gardeners' Association.

The learning content of the gardener training in production is divided into the following topics:

• Compulsory modules for all:
  • Vocational trainer in the training company
  • Basics of health protection and occupational safety
  • Communication and customer relations
  • Employee management and team leadership
  • Soil care, plant protection, plant care and nutrition
• Compulsory modules for the production specialization:
  • Plant knowledge and use
  • Managing and looking after plant cultures
  • Practice-oriented sales
  • Work organization in production
• Two optional modules of your choice e.g:
  • Site-appropriate, aesthetic plant design
  • Vessel greening
  • Biological engineering structures
  • Gardening services
  • Pruning fruit trees
  • Sales Green sector
  • Care of small-crowned trees and solitary topiaries
  • Organic cultivation in plant production
  • Tree inspection
  • Permaculture, biodynamic and regenerative cultivation

Costs and financing of further training:

The costs vary depending on the provider and duration of the gardener production apprenticeship. On average, these amounts are to be expected for the training costs:

• Course fees:between CHF 12'500.- and CHF 16'700.-
  After taking the exam, you will receive around 50% of this back from the federal government on application (regardless of the result)*.
• Examination fees:CHF 1,600 (as at: 2023)
  The examination fee is set by the body responsible for the professional examination. It is paid by the candidate after confirmation of admission to the Production Gardener examination.
• Extra costs:At some schools, the costs for enrolment fees, teaching materials, training documents, books, intensive exam training, simulation exams, school diplomas and interim qualifications, for example, are not included in the course fees. Please contact the provider of your choice directly to find out what additional costs you can expect for the further education course in gardener production.

*Since 1.1.2018, preparatory courses for federal professional examinations such as the production training for gardeners have been financially supported by the federal government. Graduates of these courses can therefore be reimbursed up to 50% (max. CHF 9,500) of the course costs paid after taking the federal examination. In cases of hardship, the federal contributions are also pre-financed in exceptional cases.

Duration of study, number of teaching hours and learning effort for gardener training in production:

• The gardener training in production has a modular structure and lasts 2 to 3 semesters. It comprises around 650 lessons.
• The teaching times vary depending on the provider of the gardener production training. Classroom teaching usually takes place on one day during the week (usually Fridays) and on Saturday mornings.
• Many schools now offer a mix of face-to-face and online teaching (online, hybrid teaching, blended learning) as well as self-study.
• Thanks to the extra-occupational concept of the production training course for gardeners, you can apply and deepen the learning material in practice straight away. Nevertheless, you should allow sufficient time for lesson preparation and follow-up as well as for self-study. Depending on your previous knowledge, working style and learning speed, we recommend that you allow at least 3 to 5 hours per week.

Note: Some schools offer so-called "taster lessons", which provide an insight into the lessons and the learning atmosphere. A suitable learning environment is important on the way to successful graduation.

Degree, diploma and title:

The professional examination "Gardener with a Federal Certificate of Competence in Production" takes place annually, provided at least 10 candidates meet the admission requirements, otherwise every two years. It can be held in German, French or Italian.
Candidates for the professional examination in gardener production are notified at least 4 weeks before the start of the examination. The invitation includes the examination program (with details of the place and time of the examination as well as permitted aids) and the list of experts.

The professional examination for gardeners in production comprises the following two parts:

• Project work
  on an order or project in the field of production carried out by the company or by a guest company
  • Written documentation (prior: written and practical)
  • covers a sub-area of the field of work
  • the execution of an order in plant production, the plant trade or parts thereof
  • Documenting the order and its execution
  • Recording the basics for operational evaluation
  • Draw conclusions for optimization
• Presentation and technical discussions on the project work (oral, 30 min.)
  • Work on tasks covering the entire field of activity of a gardener specializing in production using a case study
  • Viewing and evaluating the specifications, organizing and preparing the execution, estimating the personnel and time requirements and creating aids for execution
  • process and solve based on practice-oriented principles and industry-standard tools
  • Record solutions in writing

Diploma and title "Gardener Production"

Graduates of the professional examination receive a federal certificate and are entitled to use the federally recognized and protected title "Gardener with a federal certificate, specializing in production" or "Gardener with a federal certificate, specializing in production".

• In French: "Horticulteur avec brevet fédéral, orientation production", "Horticultrice avec brevet fédéral, orientation production"
• In Italian: "Giardiniere con attestato professionale federale, orientation paysagisme", "Giardiniera con attestato professionale federale, orientation paysagisme"
• In English: "Gardener, Federal Diploma of Higher Education, Specialization: Production" (Attention: This is only a recommendation/translation and not a protected title)