伊人直播

Lilias Fraser from Edinburgh had previously worked as an administrator in Higher Education before deciding to study the HND Horticulture course at 伊人直播 Edinburgh campus. Lilias worked in public engagement and live literature in a poetry library for 15 years, then five years in a team supporting academic researchers to make research funding applications.

Lilias says : 鈥淚鈥檝e been incredibly lucky to work in jobs that have been completely absorbing and rewarding 鈥� it鈥檚 not that I鈥檝e always had a lifelong passion to be a gardener, because I was probably Girl Voted Most Likely To Have Nose In A Book (and it wasn鈥檛 a book on biology or horticulture, either). But you don鈥檛 always stay exactly the same person right through your life, and after a baby, family loss, lockdown, like a lot of people I think I realised I had at least another career鈥檚 worth of time in the tank before retirement age and I wanted to do something different. (Also, like a lot of people, I realised that there is a load of time for a second career 鈥� whether you have to because of redundancy, or because you want to take the opportunity for a second chance. If you鈥檝e previously been funded for Higher Education fees as a Scottish student but the course was before 2002-3, it鈥檚 really worthwhile checking the SAAS guidance 鈥� things have changed in the last couple of years, so now you might be able to apply for course fees again.)鈥�

鈥淚 went to talk to the manager of a nearby large garden, and instead of her talking me out of this ridiculous idea, she offered me a day鈥檚 work a week through the winter so I could test my enthusiasm, and she was even my referee for the UCAS application to the course. Now, being outside every day, getting muddy, pruning trees and learning how to drive a lawnmower the size of a tank seems like a fantastic way of spending the next half of my working life.鈥�

鈥淚t is a specialist course that combines hands-on practical skills with horticultural knowledge. The more horticulture and garden professionals I talk to, the more I realise how well recognised and well thought-of the course is (and half of them trained here).鈥�

鈥淢y experience at 伊人直播 has been great. The course design and the lecturers and instructors are supportive of students, welcoming and encouraging, and actively want students to succeed. The course students are a really good, wide mix of ages and interests (I鈥檓 not the only midlife career change), and it鈥檚 a friendly, relaxed and engaged atmosphere. I really love that we can be practising trimming a hedge, and learning plant biology, and both kinds of knowledge are respected and valued.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 making possible things I thought I couldn鈥檛 possibly do, I鈥檓 physically healthier, mentally happier and I鈥檓 flexing bits of my brain I didn鈥檛 know I had. It really is opening (garden) doors.鈥�

鈥淥nce I complete the course my plan is to build a small, local gardening business.鈥�

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