Horticulture Assistant (Casual)

Where you’ll work: This role is based at the College’s Hadlow campus.

Your hours: As and when required – No guaranteed hours; zero-hour contract.

Your pay: Age Related National Minimum Wage

North Kent College (including Hadlow College) is proudly rated as an Ofsted ‘Good’ provider, with ‘Outstanding’ learner behaviours and attitudes (April 2024). With four campuses across Kent and 4,000 students, we strive to equip the young people who study here with an inclusive and innovative education experience to enhance their future career prospects, which, as noted by Ofsted, is supported through our high-quality, industry standard facilities. Each and every staff member plays a key part in delivering the success of our learners’ experience, and we want those who join our curriculum and support teams to share our passion in achieving this.

We are looking for someone with good horticultural knowledge to be part of our Horticultural department.

The role involves growing a range of plants from seed, cuttings and young plants which are destined for our Pop-up plant sales & gardens. Other crops that you will be involved with are tomatoes, strawberries, cut flowers and occasional work in the orchard, vineyard, and our public gardens.

From time to time, you may be required to carry out practical tasks with students. Typical tasks include:
Watering
Potting
Spacing
Pest and disease monitoring
Tomato crop work
Fertiliser mixing
Harvesting
Public facing at plant sales.

Please note you may be required to work alongside students, part of a small team or working alone. As well as some weekend work, which will mainly be to water the crops.

For a full job description and to apply, please visit North Kent College’s staff vacancies page.


For more information, please refer to the job description.


North Kent College is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and all staff have a responsibility to share and maintain this commitment. In line with the requirements of ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’, appropriate safeguarding checks (including an enhanced DBS check) will be undertaken on all individuals selected for appointment. Posts at the College, a specified establishment where the work gives opportunity for contact with children, are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974. It is an offence to apply for a post which involves engaging in regulated activity relevant to children if you are barred from doing so. Please be advised that, again in line with ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’, shortlisted candidates (who wish to accept an invite to interview) will be required to complete and submit prior to their interview a self-declaration of their criminal record or information that would make them unsuitable to work with children. Further guidance / information from the Ministry of Justice can be found on GOV.UK.