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Horticulture Matters report highlights skill shortages
http://www.landscapejuice.com/2013/05/horticulture-matters-report-h...
It's not as though English Heritage are looking for a fresh beginner...look at the job requirments:
The Candidate
As the ideal candidate you will possess a relevant level 2 or 3 qualification in addition to several years experience, preferably within a similar setting. You will also be familiar with a wide range of horticultural machinery and hand tools and would ideally possess some industry recognised qualifications for their use (e.g. NPTC/Lantra certificates for Tractor Driving). Being accustomed to a physically demanding job you will enjoy working outdoors all year round, occasionally in adverse weather conditions.
They should be ashamed of that advert.
Depending upon contracted hours, I would suggest that is at or near 2013 UK Min wage....
So what has driven up wages in most industries over the past 40 years? Powerful unions! I suppose the nearest we have is the NFU and the horticultural industry is guided by their rules.
In case above and in the absence of a strong union, we are left with supply and demand. If English Heritage get no takers, then the rate is wrong and they will offer more money. If they have 100 applicants, then surely the rate is right. That's not to say I agree with it tho!
If they get 100 applicants it does not mean the rate is right, it means they are likely to get away with that degrading wage due to the levels of desperation amongst many people.
Thankfuly they are asking for qualifications which will screen the applicants, they will either take an unqualified on at that price, or will not get the post filled.
A competitor in Leeds (3 team outfit currently) offered to buy my round for 4 months takings (2 upfront 2 at end, based on retained customers) - and employ me on £16k + % bonus scheme, doing my own round.......... while integrating me into his business . . . . . . When i said I was PA1&6 (testing the water) he said all spraying work is done at time & half, ... so thats the going rate I guess in the leeds area
(THe bonus scheme was based around completing a days work early and joining his landscaping team anytime before 4pm to help tidy and getting paid £6.90 per hour in addition to the contracted 8-5 wage.
For the record folks - I Declined!
Golf clubs are a good example of the horticulture industry, the people that run them all meet every year to discuss what they pay their staff amongst things, but it means that they can keep the pay low.
As I said above, I dont agree with it, but if they can fill the post and over again, then the rate is right. We are in a recession and this is the third (all be it the worst) I gave been through, remember "go on giss a job - any job" from the 90's, well its history repeating ityself with 3m extra immigrants thrown into the equation.
Dan Frazer Gardening said:
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