Karen plants the seeds for a new career

"I've always loved cooking, gardening, and being outdoors," Karen said.

"To enter the horticulture industry, you need a qualification in that field, so I thought, why not? You're never too old to keep learning."

In 2026, Karen enrolled in the Certificate III in Horticulture (AHC30722) through Fee-Free TAFE, taking the first step towards turning her long-standing passion into a new career.

The course provides practical training in plant identification and care, landscape management, propagation, pruning, fertilising, soil improvement, plant nutrition programs, and the operation of horticultural machinery and equipment, preparing graduates for careers in horticulture, nurseries, parks, and gardens.

As a mature-age student, Karen found TAFE Queensland to be the ideal place to learn.

"TAFE is a great place to learn for mature adults. It's not too far to travel, the teachers are fantastic, and the courses have simple guidelines and structure."

For Karen, the supportive learning environment has made all the difference. TAFE Queensland's hands-on, industry-relevant training has enabled her to build practical skills while gaining the confidence to pursue a completely new career path.

One of the biggest rewards of returning to study has been a renewed sense of self-belief.

"My confidence has become much more positive than before because I've realised I can still achieve my goals," Karen said.

Karen particularly enjoys the practical nature of the course and the opportunity to apply classroom learning through real-world projects, including helping prepare the campus horticulture gardens for the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers Garden Competition.

"Learning by completing a real-world project makes more sense to me because you can implement the theory into the practical work,” she explained.

“I've always preferred the hands-on side of learning. At times I get bored sitting in a classroom, but when you're out there doing the work, everything comes together."

The project gave Karen and her classmates the opportunity to put their skills into practice while working towards a shared goal. Together, they prepared and maintained the campus horticulture gardens for entry into the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers Garden Competition.

The teamwork involved has also been a highlight.

"You learn so much from fellow students. We talk about different scenarios, share ideas about what works and what doesn't, and work together to achieve the best results. Many hands make light work," she said.

Karen said seeing the results of that collaboration is one of the most rewarding aspects of the course.

"I love seeing the end result of all the hard work we've put into the gardens. Working with a great bunch of students and learning from great teachers has made the experience even better."

"It gives me a great sense of self-worth and it's an honour to be part of something so great for the world to see. To me, TAFE made that happen."

Karen's story is a powerful reminder that it's never too late to learn new skills, pursue a passion, and create new opportunities. 

Karen helped showcase the beauty of the Toowoomba campus, carefully preparing the gardens ahead of the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers Garden Competition in Spring.

The horticulture gardens provide students with a living classroom to develop practical skills, gain industry experience and help bring landscapes to life.