01 February 2002

Having spent all her life around gardening - with a father who owned a garden services business, and a grandfather with vegetable gardens - it is not surprising that Ann Philpott (19) is training as a Modern Apprentice in horticulture.

However, it was not Ann's first choice of career. She said: "When I left Poltair Community School and Sports College, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. The careers office suggested that I took a training course in administration as a good basis for the future."

"I went to St Austell College for about 18 months and gained my NVQ level 2 in Administration as well as certificates in computer literacy and information technology."

Still undecided, Ann went on to take a course at Ultra Training in St Austell to boost her self-confidence, followed by a four-week trial period at Ultra's in-house horticulture training site. "I enjoyed the work, so Ultra arranged a work placement for me and I achieved NVQ 1 in Horticulture last June," said Ann. "Unfortunately, after working there for ten months, the employer couldn't keep me on."

A successful interview followed with Mrs Shirley Clemo, owner of Pine Lodge Nurseries at Cuddra near St Austell, where Ann has been working and training for NVQ level 2 since July 2001 as a Modern Apprentice.

"It's really brillant," said Ann. "I'm given a lot of responsibility, and its very rewarding when you see seeds that you've brought on grow and develop into healthy plants. As well as my in-house training, I go on one day release to Ultra each week where I'm learning key skills such as communication, numbers and IT."

With Pine Lodge covering 30 acres in plants, shrubs and trees, and an employer committed to training, Ann is gaining extensive experience and a variety of skills. "I am getting training in a variety of subjects such as crop production, trench digging, propagation, taking cuttings and planting," said Ann. "In addition, I'm learning to identify and treat pests and diseases, using National Soil Association standards for treating them organically."

"One of the main benefits of training as a Modern Apprentice is having a job which gives you hands-on experience in many tasks. Because I'm doing things in a work situation, I have more confidence. I know my abilities, and my knowledge is increasing all the time."