During Melbourne’s covid lockdown, Chisholm Institute of TAFE student, Naomi Hickey took up gardening and that fun hobby has now become a blooming career.

Naomi recently won Nursery and Gardening Industry Victoria’s Horticultural Student of the Year Award at its annual awards night.

She developed a green thumb during lockdown to combat boredom, teaching herself plant cultivation, soil preparation, propagation and even creating a thriving veggie patch.

So, after finishing high school during lockdown, Naomi enrolled in the tuition fee-free Certificate III in Horticulture at Chisholm Institute of TAFE so she could get even better results for her home gardening efforts and find a job doing what she loves.

Influenced by her grandmother, Marion, whose perfumed roses were her passion, Naomi has found a job with a great team at Haars Wholesale Nursery in Somerville, one of Australia’s largest wholesale plant producers that supplies Australian retailers, landscapers, growers and gardeners with quality flowering indoor and outdoor plants.

“We all really enjoy our work and seeing the fruits of our labour, especially in spring,” she said.

Naomi’s advice for people thinking about studying horticulture is – just do it.

“There are so many job opportunities in horticulture – from specialist pruning to propagating, landscaping or lawn keeping, and you might discover you have a real gift,” she said.

Shaun Leeming, Chisholm’s Environment Department Education Manager said Chisholm’s Horticulture course provides a robust education that blends theory with practical, hands-on experience, setting students up for a thriving career.

“Cultivating knowledge, just like plants, takes patience and care. Chisholm’s Horticulture course grows the best of both.

“If you’re interested in exploring a career in horticulture, check out the industry’s many career opportunities at chisholm.edu.au/horticulture,” he said.