How to become a horticultural technician
Official title: Horticultural technician
Also called: Agronomy technician, Crop production technician, Farm technician (horticulture), Floriculture technician, Forestry technician, Horticultural technical officer, Hydroponics technician, Irrigation specialist, Silvicultural technician, Arboriculture Technician, Agriculture Technician (Agriculture), Farm technician (horticulture)
Horticultural technician provides technical support in the preparation of soil specimens, and helps to identify pathogenic micro-organisms and insects, parasites, fungi and weeds harmful to crops. He/she conducts tests and experiments to improve yield and quality of crops or to increase the resistance of plants to disease or insects, assists in devising methods of control against attacks on crops, and conducts or supervises production programmes. He/she nurtures plants and operates equipment and machinery to facilitate daily work. He/she may also transport and set up greenery for clients at various locations.
Main tasks
- Preparing materials and equipment for experiments, tests and analyses
- Collecting and preparing specimens such as soils, plant or animal cells, tissues or parts or animal organs for experiments, tests and analyses
- Assisting with and performing experiments, tests and analyses and applying methods and techniques such as microscopy, histochemistry, chromatography, electrophoresis and spectroscopy
- Identifying pathogenic micro-organisms and insects, parasites, fungi and weeds harmful to crops and livestock and assisting in devising methods of control
- Analysing produce to set and maintain standards of quality
- Conducting or supervising operational programmes such as fish hatchery, greenhouse and livestock production programmes
- Analysing samples of seeds for quality, purity and germination rating
- Collecting data and estimating quantities and costs of materials and labour required for projects
Ways in
- Apprenticeship: Work-study diploma. Related ITE work-study diplomas: Work-Study Diploma in Arboriculture & Horticulture. You are employed by a company and study at ITE at the same time. Peernovo matched these from course names.
- Polytechnic or ITE: ITE course (Nitec or Higher Nitec). Related ITE courses: Higher Nitec in Landscape Management & Design. Peernovo matched these from course names; ITE does not publish which jobs each course leads to.; Polytechnic diploma. Related diplomas: Diploma in Landscape Design & Horticulture (Ngee Ann Polytechnic). Peernovo matched these from course names; polytechnics do not publish which jobs each course leads to.
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.
Related jobs
- Plant tissue culture technician
- Farming technician (animal production)
- Biological technician
- Clinical research coordinator
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Questions people ask
How do I become a horticultural technician?
Ways in include: ITE course (Nitec or Higher Nitec); Polytechnic diploma; Work-study diploma.
Will AI change the work of a horticultural technician?
Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.
Sources
- International Labour Organization, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (ILO Working Paper 140, Gmyrek et al.) (ILO Working Paper 140, May 2025, Annex Table A1), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
Updated 4 October 2026