Training courses advice needed please

[weekendwellies]

Not sure which section to plop this into so please move it if there is one more suitable, mods.

I really want to do a decent course on horticulture, and have finally found a college not too far away that does landbased courses.
There are a number of different ones available and I could do with advice on what would be recognised by employers from anyone who has that sort of knowledge.
They start at entry level, which seem to me to be more for kids who have dropped out of school or adults with learning difficulties, or people who havent had a job kind of thing.
I was thinking either Level 1 or 2 would be more suitable for me, as I have a bit of unofficial experience in plants and growing (my allotment & volunteering with the wildflower centre and with conservation volunteering), and have worked most of the last 30 years, albeit not in horticulture.
Level 3 might be a bit too advanced for me at this point without having done other levels yet. There's also diplomas in management/leadership which may also be beyond me at this point.

The options are
Level 1
Diploma in practical horticulture skills - 2 full days per week
Certificate in practical horticulture skills - 1 full day per week
Deploma in workbased horticulture - 2 full days per week

Level 2
Diploma in horticulture - 2 full days per week
Diploma in workbased horticulture - 2 full days per week
Diploma in workbased horticulture - 1 full day plus 1 evening per week

Anyone with knowledge of all this stuff, I would greatly appreciate your opinion. Tell me if you think its a waste of time.
I would prefer an NVQ or something similar, but this is all I have been able to find relatively local. I can keep looking though.

[zazen999]

Have you got time to do 2 days a week? I'd look for the costs versus the time and do the highest one I could afford [time wise and money wise].

[weekendwellies]

I have the time, pending speaking to the job centre to find out whether they would consider this as appropriate use of my time in respect of getting a job in horticulture. Cost isn't an issue, I could do the Level 2 I am just uncertain whether I should go for the Level 1 first and then the Level 2 after or go straight for Level 2. And also if these would be acceptable qualifications for employers.

[zazen999]

I have the time, pending speaking to the job centre to find out whether they would consider this as appropriate use of my time in respect of getting a job in horticulture. Cost isn't an issue, I could do the Level 2 I am just uncertain whether I should go for the Level 1 first and then the Level 2 after or go straight for Level 2. And also if these would be acceptable qualifications for employers.

Depends on the employer!

[mothhawk]

Have a look at the course content of level 2 and level 3 and see what you would be expected to know already and what you would learn. Then decide what you think would most excite and interest you to do.

[Kirk]

You need to identify who would be a typical employer, or two or three, and ask them about the qualifications they would expect a person to have.

The college may run a course but if it is not recognised by anyone then it is wasted time and money. If it something that the college has put together then employers may well be suspicious of it.

It is no great use asking the college as they are unlikely to say that no-one recognises it.

[Glutton4...]

If you have the time and money, start at the bottom. You'll still learn something, and it may then inspire you to go further, or you may decide it's not for you, and wish to branch out in other areas.

Just my two-penneth!

[weekendwellies]

Thanks all for your responses. I will need to call the college and get more info I think. Cheers everyone.

[SarzWix]

If you call the college and ask if you can speak to the course tutors, they'd be able to tell which course your level of experience matches best with. As I'm finding out to my cost this year, doing a level one course when you're already at level three abilities is boring, tedious, un-engaging and to be avoided imho.