Tel: 01372 841100
Success stories
Working at Hampton Court Palace gives Doug plenty to smile about!
Having successfully completed the Horticulture course at Queen Elizabeth’s Foundation Training College, Doug is now enjoying a new career, working as a gardener in the grounds of Hampton Court Palace. He is responsible for the planting and upkeep of several flowerbeds in the Great Fountain Garden, containing annuals, perennials, and flowering bulbs. He’s very happy in his new working environment, and owes much of his success to the help he had from the College. I visited him on a cold but sunny afternoon in January to find out more:
Doug was a highly qualified aeronautical engineer, with over 25 years experience in the industry, working at both Gatwick and Heathrow airports. Seven years ago Doug suffered a stroke. After two years off sick, and a return to part-time work, he finally took ill health retirement.
Doug then tried accounts work, but he found it too difficult. A friend had just taken up gardening and recommended it, so Doug sought advice from his Disability Employment Adviser on training courses available. He was told about the Queen Elizabeth’s Training College in Leatherhead, and he liked what he saw when he visited.
Doug started at the College in January 2003 and quickly made a good impression. His instructor. Graeme Lisle said, “Throughout his time in Horticulture, Doug proved to be very keen and innovative. His previous engineering background allowed him to do set projects that he obviously enjoyed. For example, he installed a new watering system & took on the task of raising the Dutch House benching. He was a thoroughly nice chap!”
Doug said, “I thought the College was a great place! Everybody helped me so much and I looked forward to going there every day. Graeme and Laurence, my instructors, were really great.” At the end of his College training, when it was time to do a work placement, Doug told Mike Wilson, his Employment Development Manager that he was keen to work at a stately home. Mike arranged an 8-week placement for Doug at Hampton Court Palace and had excellent feedback about him from the employer. A few months after the placement had come to an end, luckily a permanent job came up there, and Doug was successful in his application. That was over a year ago now, and Doug is happy and settled in his new career. He wouldn’t want to go back to the old one!
