Your future. Our profession.
Let’s grow it.
People, stories and opportunities for your next step in horticulture.
Future Voices together in Adelaide | AIH Conference 2026
CONNECT / LEARN / GROW NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE.
WHO WE ARE
A love of plants. A world of possibilities.
Horticulture can take you somewhere you never imagined. Having people around you who understand that passion makes a real difference.
Future Voices is an initiative of the Australian Institute of Horticulture, led by emerging horticulturists who want to share experiences, build connections and help others find their place in the profession.
Our proposed direction brings current and future horticultural professionals together: students, apprentices, career changers, emerging professionals and experienced people with knowledge to share. From your first day of training to your next leadership role, there is always something to learn—and something you can offer.
OUR DIRECTION
Our Mission
AIH Future Voices inspires and connects current and future horticultural professionals through shared opportunities, stories, networks, careers and leadership to create a stronger profession for Australia.
Now and Into the Future.
Our Vision (proposed)
AIH Future Voices exists to strengthen the future of Australian horticulture by creating a connected, inclusive and forward-thinking professional community. We aim to support horticulturists at every stage of their journey by sharing knowledge and experiences, creating meaningful career and leadership opportunities, building professional networks and encouraging mentorship across generations.
Through Future Voices, we want to showcase the diversity, value and possibilities within horticulture, strengthen connections between emerging and established professionals, and ensure that the present and future generations have a genuine voice in shaping the direction of our profession. By bringing people, stories and opportunities together, we aim to build a horticultural profession that is skilled, respected, connected and ready for the future.
Stronger. Connected. Ready for the future.
CONNECT · LEARN · GROW
Good things grow together.
Connect
Find people who share your curiosity. Build relationships through industry events, garden visits and conversations with horticulturists across Australia and beyond.
Learn
Learn from real experiences, practical knowledge and different perspectives. Explore articles, professional development and stories from every stage of a horticultural career.
Grow
Discover a pathway that excites you. Explore scholarships, placements and training, and connect with people who can help you build confidence for your next step.
A PROFESSION WITH POSSIBILITIES
Where could horticulture take you?
AIH describes more than 200 career pathways. Start with the part of horticulture that sparks your curiosity.
Shape the places people love.
Care for living collections, create seasonal displays and bring landscapes to life. These careers combine plant knowledge, practical skill and creative thinking.
- Botanic and heritage gardens
- Parks and public gardens
- Landscape design and maintenance
- Arboriculture and tree care
A starting point for exploration, rather than a complete careers directory.
Your pathway can change as you grow. An apprenticeship, TAFE qualification, university study or hands-on experience can open different doors. Tell us what interests you.
Growing & production
Wholesale and retail nurseries; plant propagation and production; protected cropping and glasshouses; fruit, vegetable and cut-flower production.
Environment & science
Plant conservation and restoration; plant science and research; urban greening and green infrastructure; environmental management and sustainability.
People & leadership
Education and training; horticultural media and communication; consulting and business management; garden and nursery leadership.
FUTURE VOICES STORIES
Every career starts somewhere.
Real experiences. Different pathways. Plenty of inspiration for your own journey.
What happens when we share our stories?
We discover the people behind the profession: how they started, what challenged them and the experiences that shaped their work.
Future Voices and the AIH Fellows group are collaborating to bring emerging and experienced horticulturists into the same conversation. Interviews recorded during the Adelaide conference, awards dinner and garden tours are an early step in a project with much more to share.
Adelaide interview videos are being developed.
THE CONVERSATIONS WE’RE HAVING
How did you find horticulture?
Which experience changed your direction?
What would you tell someone starting out?
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE · KOBEY KNIGHT
A world of learning at Longwood Gardens
Kobey shares his nine-month experience across conservation horticulture, nursery production and conservatory displays in Pennsylvania.
SCHOLARSHIP EXPERIENCE · EVAN REID
Seeing Tasmania through a horticultural lens
Explore Evan’s experience as the Hazel King Memorial Scholarship winner, and how an opportunity to travel can lead to new connections and learning.
OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPLORE
Your next chapter could start here.
Scholarships, internships and training. Take a closer look at what’s possible.
SCHOLARSHIP · AUSTRALIA
Hazel King Memorial Scholarship
AIH’s $4,000 scholarship supports eligible horticulture and conservation students with approved professional development, research and practical experiences.
2026 applications close 15 October
SCHOLARSHIP · INTERNATIONAL
Global Footprints
Explore overseas learning for vocationally trained young Australians in horticulture, agriculture and trades, with sustainability at the heart of the experience.
Check the provider for the next application round.
INTERNSHIP & TRAINING · USA
Longwood Gardens
Discover structured practical learning through Longwood’s international internship and training programs. Different eligibility requirements apply to each pathway.
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING · UK
RHS horticultural training
Explore RHS qualifications and practical training, including the two-year Diploma in Horticultural Practice at Wisley.
Looking for work experience, a grant or your next role? Tell us what you’re hoping to do. Organisations with an opportunity to share are welcome to get in touch.
Information checked 4 October 2026. Application dates, eligibility, costs and international travel requirements are set by each provider; follow the links for current details.
MEET · VISIT · EXCHANGE IDEAS
Make a connection beyond the screen.
Conferences, garden visits, workshops and shows bring our profession together. Explore AIH’s live calendar for confirmed upcoming events and booking details.
AIH events & professional development
Find opportunities to meet colleagues and learn from people working across the profession.
Garden shows & industry expos
Discover new plants, ideas and the organisations shaping horticulture.
Garden visits & Future Voices connections
Have a suggestion for a visit or gathering? Help us shape future activities.
FROM OUR COMMUNITY · ADELAIDE 2026
A few days together. Ideas to take home.
The AIH conference, awards dinner and garden visits in Adelaide gave Future Voices time to reconnect, meet fellow horticulturists and share ideas face to face.
Conversations continued beyond the conference room, through gardens and around the dinner table. They were a reminder of how much we can learn from one another—and how valuable it is to bring different career stages together.
Congratulations to the award recipients, and thank you to everyone who helped make the gathering possible. The stories recorded during our time in Adelaide will help carry that inspiration into future editions of the newsletter and our storytelling project.
FROM HORTINSIGHTS
Ideas worth passing on.
Explore horticultural experiences and perspectives through AIH’s magazine. Our website and newsletter can introduce a featured Future Voices article and connect you with the original story.
Growing the Next Generation
A Future Voices perspective on connection, education and giving emerging horticulturists a voice in the future of the profession.
THE FUTURE VOICES NEWSLETTER
A little inspiration. A new possibility. Every month.
By the Future Voices team
A proposed monthly newsletter for the AIH community, bringing together practical knowledge, career inspiration and opportunities to explore. The first public edition is being planned for late October, subject to approval.
Opens an email to the team. No subscription is created automatically.
Fresh stories. Growing connections.
- 01 Horticulture news & rainfall outlook
- 02 Seasonal focus & practical learning
- 03 Plant of the Month
- 04 Careers & community stories
- 05 Scholarships, internships & opportunities
- 06 AIH events & industry gatherings
- 07 Storytelling project & HortInsights feature
The sections stay familiar. The people, plants and possibilities change each month.
MEET FUTURE VOICES
Different experiences. Shared enthusiasm.
We are horticulturists with different interests, experiences and pathways, connected by a passion for plants and the future of our profession.
Future Voices works within AIH, with support from the wider membership and connections across generations. Explore the AIH team directory to meet the people involved and learn more about their work.
GET INVOLVED
There’s something you can bring.
A question, an experience, a connection or an opportunity. We’d love to hear it.
Starting or changing careers?
Tell us about your interests and where you hope horticulture might take you. We can start a conversation about pathways and people to connect with.
Have experience to share?
Bring your perspective to our stories and conversations. Your experience could help someone see possibilities they hadn’t considered.
Supporting the next generation?
Training providers, employers and industry organisations can help by sharing learning opportunities, placements and connections.
NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE.