Secondments and staff exchanges offer a broad range of new training opportunities for garden staff. Funding, targeting the transfer of specific skills, is available now and can be applied for directly through the Scheme.

We are all aware of a skills shortage in the industry and the difficulty of acquiring good, practical skills for our own professional development. A key role of the HBGBS is to build upon professional gardeners' skills. To this end, we would like to invite proposals for staff exchanges, secondments and Master Classes.

Examples:

• Last year you sowed a wildflower meadow. This is the first meadow you have had to manage. You know a garden that has an established methodology for managing a summer wildflower meadow. You would like to witness their techniques and the management considerations required to manage your site in years to come. 
• Your garden has poor disability access and you would like to improve this. You know of a garden that is currently reviewing its disability access and you would like to observe their approach to the review, the solutions devised and the actions proposed.

The HBGBS can assist in funding travel, accommodation, subsistence and training fees in order to secure transfer of valuable skills.

Garden staff are welcome to contact me directly with ideas and suggestions, and I will be delighted to discuss the feasibility and costing of such ideas. Individuals, groups or organisations are welcome to apply, and each arrangement can be tailored to suit the needs of all parties.