Case studies

I enjoy being outdoors, and have thought about working in horticulture. I’m visually impaired but it doesn’t hold me back in any way.

I’ve decided to do the Diploma in Environmental and Land-based Studies. I love the fact that it’s hands on, so I’ll get to know what I’m good at and develop the right skills to do well in the future.

What will I learn?

The Principal Learning part of my Diploma course covers nine areas altogether. I'll find out about ecology and the natural environment, as well as biodiversity, plant and animal care.

I'm doing a Level 3 BTEC National Award in Horticulture for the Additional and Specialist Learning part of my course too.

What am I looking forward to?

I can't wait to do work experience. I'm spending ten days in a plant nursery working with horticultural technicians. They're going to show me how it's run and see how well I get on. I'll also spend a week at a garden centre, looking after plants and helping customers, so I should learn a lot.

I am fascinated by the idea of plant breeding. It's ambitious but I'm going to breed orchids for my project. I'm going to visit the orchid house at The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew and produce a video on how important it is to conserve rare species. It's going to be quite complicated, but worth it.

What will I do afterwards?

A trainee position would be great, so I'll probably try to get a job with a company that breeds plants for garden centres. For me, it's really important to get hands on experience and the Diploma will help me move on to a job with confidence.

This case study is an illustration of how and why a student might decide to do a Diploma; it does not refer to a real individual. To talk through your own specific study or career goals, you can seek further advice and check local availability with your teacher or Connexions Adviser.

My whole family really care about environmental issues. We always recycle and look after the countryside around our home, which is a big part of my life. I even did a couple of weeks volunteering for a conservation organisation in the summer holidays.

This is why I’ve chosen to study a Higher Diploma in Environmental and Land-based Studies. I’m really interested in one day having a career in this field.

What will I learn?

There are eight areas I'll study for the Principal Learning part of my Diploma course. These include looking at the importance of a sustainable environment to society, and monitoring ecological issues. I'm going to learn all about conservation and what people and businesses can do to help.

For my Additional and Specialist Learning I'm doing a Level 3 Award in environmental conservation. It will give me a much deeper understanding of my subject, and I'm really excited about being able to specialise in it.

What am I looking forward to?

I went to a National Park to learn about land management when I did GCSE Geography, so I really want to carry on from this and focus on forestry and woodland management for my project too. I'm going to put together an exhibition, looking at how to conserve these wooded areas and why.

For work experience I'm going back to the place I volunteered at over the summer. I can't wait because they're going to let me try a bit of everything to find out what I like best.

What will I do afterwards?

I'm pretty sure that environmental conservation is what I want to do. I'll keep an open mind, but I will probably look to get more qualifications and maybe do an Apprenticeship. With this kind of work, I think it's important to get as much practical experience as possible.

This case study is an illustration of how and why a student might decide to do a Diploma; it does not refer to a real individual. To talk through your own specific study or career goals, you can seek further advice and check local availability with your teacher or Connexions Adviser.

I’ve grown up on a farm, and I really want to work on our land in the future. But I also want to experience other things before I finally decide about my career. My parents both think I should make the most of learning while I have the opportunity.

I think the Foundation Diploma in Environmental and Land-based Studies is the perfect solution!

What will I learn?

There are six areas of Principal Learning to cover altogether; each one is going to teach me about different areas of this sector. We'll look at the natural environment, working with plants and animals, plus making sustainable use of our planet and more.

We do a lot of cooking at home and I like Food Technology, so I'm also doing a GCSE in Design and Technology (Food) for the Additional and Specialist Learning part of my Diploma course.

What am I looking forward to?

I'm spending two weeks with a large animal feed company to learn about the processes involved. And I'll also be on the farm where I live for two weeks, learning the basics about the growing cycle and different methods you can use.

My work experience is going to help with my project too. I've had the idea of choosing different types of wheat seeds and growing them using a variety of fertilizers. I want to chart what happens and show my findings in a PowerPoint presentation using graphs and images.

What will I do afterwards?

I would like to go on to do a Higher Diploma to learn as much as I can about the environmental and land-based sector. I have thought about becoming an agricultural technician, travelling to different farms and advising on the best ways to grow certain crops. That's just one of the options to look at.

This case study is an illustration of how and why a student might decide to do a Diploma; it does not refer to a real individual. To talk through your own specific study or career goals, you can seek further advice and check local availability with your teacher or Connexions Adviser.