Diploma in Horticultural Management
Karen Miles already had 15 years’ horticultural experience when she decided to study at Lincoln University, but she wanted to further her knowledge and gain new skills to open up her career options.
“I wanted to widen my horticultural knowledge and at the same time gain the computer skills that I was lacking,” she says. “I liked that I could choose a flexible one- or two-year diploma because I had already spent a lot of time working and didn’t want to spend too long studying.”
Karen says despite being a mature student and already having substantial industry experience behind her, there were numerous advantages to gaining a qualification at Lincoln.
“I felt I was finally in the 21st century after I learned the computer skills that were holding me back,” she says. “My time at Lincoln was a real confidence-boost, and I think my life experience and motivation contributed enormously to my studies.
“It’s a big advantage having a qualification to my name now. People can see that I have a formal academic record in the field I am working in.”
Karen is employed by Wai-ora Forest Landscapes Ltd as a team leader, mainly co-ordinating public and private re-vegetation projects.
Karen completed the second year of her diploma last year after initially studying a Dip Hort, and says she emerged from Lincoln with a fresh perspective on her career.
“I found both years very, very stimulating. My studies really broadened my thinking and I came out more aware of the ecological aspect of my horticultural work,” she says.
She says she enjoyed studying at Lincoln, commenting on its “beautiful campus, great facilities and helpful staff”.
[diphort alumni profile]