In my professional capacity as a Consultant, I have been involved in many varying scenarios, when called upon to settle disputes, either ‘in house’ or at Court as an Expert Witness (usually employed by the defendant but more often by a Solicitor, the ‘expert witness’ has to be accepted by the Court as such, when his/her opinion is taken into consideration by the presiding Judge, sitting with or without full regalia.) The Court relies on the expert witness to be an impartial professional presence and guide.
I also sit in on job interviews, usually when a client is looking to employ a senior or head gardener. In both of these cases, and there are other times and situations where my independent advice is sought (I am a member of The Senior Garden Advisers Group, which comprises mainly of retired or very experienced Head Gardeners, who offer such services to private clients) I often have a problem where a Contractor has described themselves as ‘Fully Qualified’ at some stage during the contract – usually by way of an advertisement or on a letter head/business card.
You will appreciate the difficulty I have, as an impartial commentator, when the Plaintiff or their legal people confront the Contractor to explain exactly what they mean by ‘Fully Qualified’.
As very few people, if anyone, could be described as FULLY qualified, the Court will find the contractor somewhat diminished in the process, and even if they are ‘in the right’, they will find the Judge less than sympathetic if he/she thinks that the term has been applied to give an undeserved impression of expertise.
WHAT IS A ‘QUALIFICATION? WHAT IS A QUALIFIED PERSON?
I suggest that there are three meanings of the word ‘ qualification’. The first being a description of an individual, who may have many years of practical experience and a wide skills base, working in the world of gardening, earning a living as a practitioner and artisan, well capable of undertaking such work diligently and professionally.
This individual may not have any paper certificates or written qualifications, having never taken any examinations, yet may be considered as Qualified by any reasonable interpretation of the word. Indeed, they are ‘suitably’ qualified if they are competent and exercise the duty of care relevant to their job.
The second meaning must include those individuals who undertake works involving certain practices that demand legal certification e.g. using chain saws, applying pesticides, herbicides and insecticides etc., together with those operations that require licences e.g. working safely at height, tractor and trailer use etc. This meaning must, by definition, be called ‘Qualified’ as without such qualifications and certificates, the operative may be held liable in Law for any breach of good practice. Without proper certification, nobody is able to work on a public site (i.e. not their own garden) and remain within the Law.
These written qualifications are time limited, and need to be renewed at regular intervals to comply with the law, although probably more rigorously policed in certain gardens where members of the general public have access and right of way.
A third meaning could be applied to membership of an organisation. Here there are two types of operation; one for individuals, the other for firms. Qualification is decided by the rules of entry and acceptance into the particular organisation. Listed below are those which are normally associated with the Gardening industry, together with their basic rules of membership and its benefits.
ORGANISATIONS THAT REQUIRE ENTRY QUALIFICATIONS
The Society of Garden Designers. Entry for Full membership is by merit and by submitting to a rigorous vetting procedure. Full members may use the letters designate MSGD and FSGD, plus use their logo. Membership is for individuals, not firms, although of course, they may be one and the same. The SGD hold an Annual Awards ceremony, with entries from around the world.
The Gardeners Guild. Entry to membership is given only to individuals who can prove they hold a recognised horticultural or related industry certificate or formal qualification. This is strictly enforced. There are no letters designate, although the use of their logo is encouraged.
The Professional Gardeners Guild. Entry to membership at Full level is given only to those who have a proven track record of senior position/s in large gardens or Stately home type gardens for at least five years. Membership is given to individuals. There are no letters designate, but members may use their logo.
The Institute of Horticulture. Entry to membership is given to individuals on merit and on the recommendation of existing members. It is limited to those with a high standard of achievement in the industry, with each membership category requiring ever increasing demands, from Associate Membership through to Fellowship, which may take many years to attain. Members may use the appropriate letters designate, and the Institute’s logo.
All of the above are for people as individuals. Each organisation is meritorious and membership is gained through vetting procedures. Acceptance of membership also requires the individual to abide by the Rules, and to agree to a Code of Conduct. Membership is renewable annually in each case.
The Association of Professional Landscapers and The British Association of Landscape Industries share a common factor. Both are for companies and not individuals. The Company is the Member, and each one must reapply annually for renewal of membership to ensure that a firm is not given membership unless any fundamental changes e.g. ownership, are properly examined and a new application must be made in the name of the new owners, to ensure that standards are maintained. The vetting procedure for both is rigorous and includes Trade and Client references, insurance and bankers details, training programmes etc.
Both organisations are run by Committees, with the Chairperson and members being elected at an Annual General Meeting. Both are tireless in their pursuit of excellence, holding Annual Awards ceremonies to celebrate the finest landscaping projects. Both encourage the use of their logos. The APL also has many members who have signed up for membership of Trustmark as an additional quality mark.
These are the only organisations offering a meritorious system of Qualification, with strict entry rules and vetting procedures. All are recognised by the industry at large and by Trading Standards as bona fide outfits.
It has been held, by some commentators, that membership of any of the above organisations is ‘elitist’. I say, ABSOLUTELY, RIGHTLY SO! Of course they are elitist! What on earth is the use of, or personal value of, becoming a member of an Association or Group that has no meritorious entry system beyond finding a few pounds to gain membership? Unless it is an ‘award of merit’, it is worthless and cannot be considered a qualification in any meaningful way.
WRITTEN OR UNWRITTEN QUALIFICATIONS?
I know of many landscapers who are extraordinarily skilled crafts people, but hold no horticultural qualifications whatsoever. They have built dozens of medal winning gardens at Chelsea and major awards in National Awards ceremonies. They will however, have all manner of ‘tickets’ for various machines and operations including Skid steer, track laying, telehandling, dumper truck, excavators in various sizes, cherry pickers and other specialist machines, together with a wide range of mechanical/electrical tools including grinding wheels, chainsaws and other woodworking equipment – all genuine Landscapers tools and therefore ‘qualifications’, yet not appearing under the heading of Gardening.
Other tickets may include Safe Use, Managing Safely, Ladder Training, Crane Offloading, Working at Height, Manual Handling, Asbestos Awareness, Health and Safety, First Aid, etc., all of which are also genuine tools in the landscapers armoury.
Similarly, in my 45 year career, I have worked with more than one useless person, holding BSC Hons in a Horticultural field, a Dip Hort (Kew) and others whose paper qualifications and the lessons learnt in gaining them had been long lost in the mists of time! For all practical purposes, they were unfit for the work they were engaged to do. They had written qualifications, but no practical knowledge or competence at all!
I honestly believe that we should all try to continue to learn and never stop learning about this constantly changing and evolving industry we have chosen to be part of. Be proud of what you do, what you have achieved and in what you will yet do. Only by gaining ‘qualifications’ – either self taught skills, on site training or via a College course – by challenging yourself to become a better gardener and never resting on your laurels, will you truly feel satisfied!