Visiting instructors from England have begun to train staff from several local organisations about horticulture and arboriculture in an effort to bolster local talent.

Trainers from Kingston Maurward College in Dorset began training sessions at the Botanical Gardens today, teaching participants from the Skills Development Programme, the Department of Parks, the Bermuda Land Development Company, the Corporation of Hamilton, the Port Royal and Ocean View golf courses, Palm Grove Gardens and the Coral Beach and Tennis Club.

The trainers will also meet various entities around the Island, including the Department of Works and Engineering, the Corporation of Hamilton, the Department of Parks, the SDP and the BLDC.

They will also assess trainees' performance to identify people who may be suited for opportunities to attend Kingston Maurward College to further their education.

Lieutenant-Colonel David Burch, the Minister of Public Works, said: “The programmes offered by Kingston Maurward College represent a superb opportunity for Bermudians to gain new skills and enhance their professional development.

“I am also excited by another objective of this training visit — to develop and formalise a practical certification for horticulture and develop an apprenticeship programme for horticulture and arboriculture.

“Once this gets off the ground, it will serve as an interim step towards assisting Bermudians who wish to attain a higher level of certification, such as City and Guilds.

“These opportunities fit into the Government's objective of restoring the hands-on training that many of our young people need to succeed.”