Hilary’s Path to Success: From Greenhouse Apprentice to Chartered Landscape Architect
Posted on 9th December 2024 at 11:11
Hilary attributes her knowledge of plants to good teachers with years of experience in her first position after GCE O levels in 1974 with The Manchester Parks Department.
Her initial position was in the greenhouses, where she was tasked with propagating and caring for 'crotons' – stunning plants known for their vibrant foliage – used to decorate civic buildings and planters in and around the city.
After just six months, Hilary moved to the "decorating gang" who adorned civic buildings with plant and flower arrangements, including The Mayor's Apartments.
After this, she had a complete change and became a motorcycle messenger, studying her A-levels part-time.
As an apprentice, she had met her husband, and they married three years later in 1977, swiftly followed by three children. Throughout this time, Hilary worked part-time in petrol stations, a warehouse, and B&Q whilst raising their family.
In 1986, Hilary found herself browsing prospectuses as her sister was considering a Higher Education Degree. She discovered the Landscape Design degree at Manchester Polytechnic, which struck a chord with her. She decided to enrol and was interviewed for a place. To her dismay, she was not initially offered a place. Unhappy with this decision, she drafted a letter requesting the reason for her rejection and was subsequently invited for another interview, ultimately being offered a place. She recalls meeting the first tutor who had originally rejected her application, who told her he 'admired her tenacity' upon hearing of her success. She achieved her degree in 1990 at the age of 32, despite her fresh-faced photo suggesting she was 21!
With a growing family, Hilary had also been running a landscaping contracting company with her husband during her degree. After graduating, she took a year out with British Rail as a Landscape Designer, notably designing the still-existing Stoke-on-Trent car park frontage, pattern-matching the brickwork of the Neo-Jacobean Manor House style building.
Directly as a consequence of the work Hilary brought in during her placement, British Rail was able to offer year-out placements to four students.
In 1991/92, Hilary completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Landscape Architecture whilst working part-time supporting the four year-out students at British Rail. This was followed by a period at Groundwork Salford & Trafford as an Environmental Project Officer. Over the next two years, Hilary gained further work experience and studied for the professional examination of the Landscape Institute. Having passed the written examination at the first attempt, she was invited to attend an oral examination, which she also passed to become a Chartered Landscape Architect.
During this period, Hilary was determined to become a Chartered Landscape Architect in the shortest time possible after completing her Postgraduate Diploma. She is very proud that she managed to do this in just two years, the minimum time possible.
Visit Hilary’s website to find out more information: www.allchangeconsulting.co.uk
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