Hello again,

One of the big focuses this month on SkillsOne Television will be the horticultural industry.

SkillsOne Television is proud to present an exciting a special series examining careers in the second largest agricultural industry in Australia.

To bring you this special, SkillsOne and the Institute has worked with the Agri-Food Industry Skills Council and Horticulture Australia Limited to produce the progams and showcase the career opportunities within the industry.

Statistics about the horticulture industry are amazing as well. Agri-Food stated recently that there are as many as 30,000 individual horticultural enterprises in Australia employing more than 100,000 people with the total value to the economy estimated at approximately $20 billion.

SkillsOne Television will present two 30-minute horticulture documentaries at 3.00pm on Saturday 22 March and Sunday 23 March on the Aurora Channel (Fox Channel 183). If you'd like to find out more - see our TV Guide in the lead up.

What's interesting about the collection of horticulture stories in this special are the diversity of careers shown, the passion demonstrated by people with a commitment to modern horticultural practices and the incredible success stories of those involved - many of whom started out as small businesses.

Horticulture in Australia represents 31% of all agriculture jobs and it is our fastest growing industry and skilled staff are in high demand. There's no time like the present to enter training for, or be qualified in, this field of work.

And of course, it has it's glamourous representatives. From Burke's Backyard to Better Homes and Gardens many of us can relate to a love of the outdoors, gardening in our backyards, enjoying our national parks and appreciating our fresh produce...the envy of many European, Asian and North American countries. While we may not all have Jamie Durie's looks or a desire to be a celebrity horticulturalist, there are a host of satisfying career options in this vast industry.

There are stories about citrus and wine grapes, Chinese vegetables, seedlings, floristry and foliage, almonds, hydroponics, and owning and running a nursery, as well as information about the working within the horticultural industry.

This series is ideal if you, or someone you know, loves the outdoors but may not have considered horticulture as a career. Anyone with a green thumb - or perhaps wishing to lose their black thumb - will be interested in learning more about careers in the horticulture industry. Be sure not to miss the programs!

With our special coinciding with Easter - what better a way to think about renewal while enjoying some great TV programming about one of Australia's thriving primary industries.

Happy viewing and happy Easter,

Brian Wexham

P.S. If you'd like to catch these videos online - take a look at our page about the Horticulture TV Special

and watch the videos 24/7.