Case study - Emma Thompson

Emma, from Wibsey, Bradford, is the first ever Horticultural apprentice at Incommunities after joining the housing provider in August 2023. 

At 33 years old, Emma is not your stereotypical apprentice. She has spent the last seven years working as a dental nurse but has always had a passion for gardening. 

Emma never dreamed that she could turn her passion into a career until she saw the ad for the horticultural apprenticeship at Incommunities. 

Every day is now different for Emma, learning on the job with Incommunities in-house horticultural team, alongside learning the theory at college – including technical detail such as soil pH levels and the Latin names for plants! 

Having always worked in customer facing roles, Emma is also really enjoying that aspect of her apprenticeship, as she loves seeing the difference that her work can make to people’s lives.  

The relationship between customers and colleagues is so important to the housing provider that all the new intake of apprentices are doing an additional course in customer service in addition to their standard college studies. 

Emma said: “I’m not your typical apprentice! I’m not a school leaver, I'm 33 and have been a dental nurse for the last seven years, but my real passion has always been gardening. So, when I decided to make the leap and look for a new job, I kept my options open and looked into less traditional routes. 

“When I saw the ad for the horticultural apprentice, I thought it was too good to be true. I never expected to get the job! 

“I’m now loving what I'm doing, gaining knowledge and skills. Overall, the thing I'm enjoying the most is seeing the difference that our work makes to people living in the community.”