Blue Mountain Nurseries in Tapanui took on five apprentices as the country emerged from Covid-19 lockdown in June 2020.
Now the first of those young seedlings has emerged into full bloom, justifying what business owners Chris and Rebecca Hughes acknowledged at the time was a risky move, while economic outlooks remained uncertain.
Earlier this month, South African-born apprentice Anina Swart passed her level 3 NZQA in horticulture, an achievement that had helped her grow as a gardening professional, she said.
‘‘My biggest takeaway is how much effort goes into running a successful nursery, from marketing to dispatch.
‘‘Most people just see the neat rows of healthy seedlings and think, ‘Oh, it’s just plants’, but when you see the process from start to finish, there’s a whole lot more to it.’’
Miss Swart said her employers and fellow staff had been ‘‘amazing’’ in sharing their knowledge, experience and support.
‘‘I had brown fingers from the get-go. Now they’re fully green.’’
Mr Hughes said the experience of taking on the apprentices had been positive overall.
Two of the original five had dropped out during the early part of their studies, while the remaining two were approaching completion.
‘‘I think what we’ve learnt is to make sure the level of whole-team support is there to help them achieve their targets.
‘‘Also that you need to be flexible as an employer, as people’s expectations and life plans change over time. But get the candidate and the support aligned, and you really hit the sweet spot.’’
He said the business continued to thrive as it marked its 90th anniversary this year, employing 22 staff.
‘‘We’re pleased we took the risk as we came out of Covid, and delighted to welcome Anina to the team.
‘‘We’ve since taken on two new apprentices, so that’s probably the best reflection of the programme’s success.’’
