Teagasc to showcase horticulturist apprenticeship at WorldSkills Ireland 2026

Hands-on demonstrations at the RDS Simmonscourt will highlight the practical skills and career opportunities available through the horticulturist apprenticeship

Horticulture

10 September 2026

Teagasc will showcase the skills, training and career opportunities available through its horticulturist apprenticeship at WorldSkills Ireland 2026, taking place at RDS Simmonscourt in Dublin between 16–18 September.

Visitors will be able to meet Teagasc apprentices and see practical horticultural skills demonstrated at stand C26, including planting, hard landscaping and the construction of patios and pathways.

The Teagasc Horticulturist Apprenticeship is a two-year programme leading to a QQI Higher Certificate in horticulture at NFQ Level 6.

The programme combines on-the-job training with a SOLAS-approved employer and off-the-job education at the Teagasc College of Amenity Horticulture in the National Botanic Gardens in Dublin.

The WorldSkills Ireland event will give visitors an insight into the practical nature of the apprenticeship.

Teagasc apprentices will demonstrate techniques associated with both planting and hard landscaping, showing how different horticultural skills come together to create functional and attractive gardens, landscapes and public spaces.

For people considering horticulture as a career, one of the key attractions of the apprenticeship route is the combination of employment, practical experience and formal education.

Meet the apprentices at WorldSkills Ireland

WorldSkills Ireland is designed to give young people and visitors an opportunity to explore skills, apprenticeships and career pathways across a wide range of industries.

The 2026 event will take place at RDS Simmonscourt between 16–18 September, running alongside the Irish Times Higher Options event.

For those interested in horticulture, the Teagasc stand will provide an opportunity to go beyond simply talking about careers and see practical skills being applied.

Visitors can drop into stand C26 to meet the Teagasc team and apprentices, watch demonstrations and learn more about the horticulturist apprenticeship and the opportunities available within Ireland’s horticulture sector.

With practical skills increasingly recognised as an important part of building Ireland’s future workforce, the Teagasc presence at WorldSkills Ireland will provide a valuable showcase of the knowledge, craftsmanship and career potential behind modern horticulture.

Read more: Apprenticeships update