What’s your name, how old are you and where do you live?
Brodie Linklater, 27. I grew up and still live in the countryside between Aberchirder and Cornhill but am renovating my own house at the minute near Craigellachie so I will be moving there soon.
Who do you work for and what do you do there?
I work for Edrington at The Macallan Distillery as a Gardener.
What does the business do?
Edrington own multiple whisky brands such as The Famous grouse, The Glenrothes, Highland Park and The Macallan which is the central focus.
How long have you worked there?
2 years.
What did you do before that?
I worked at Huntly Swimming Pool as a Leisure Assistant, Swimming Instructor and Relief Duty Officer.
What did you do after leaving school?
I studied at North East Scotland College (NESCOL) Aberdeen (HND Applied Sciences) while working at the Swimming Pool as a Relief Leisure Assistant. Then I did an MA in Horticulture with UHI Moray. The workplace training covered PA1 and PA6 Pesticide Training, Forklift Driving, Tractor Driving, Abrasive wheels, First aid at work, Working at height training.
How much did you enjoy the apprenticeship?
Very much so. The staff were very helpful and enthusiastic. It was great meeting and working alongside like-minded individuals in my class.
How have these qualifications helped your career?
All of my training and qualifications have helped in some way. Attending NESCOL gave me a very good basis on how to study, research and produce work/projects to a high and scientific level. The HND was intense and very demanding. This exposure made studying at UHI Moray very easy, I was aware of the work and input needed to do well and this was at a much lower level. I gained a lot of knowledge and experience at UHI Moray which has helped in my day job. I liked the combination of learning while working, attending one day a week of college. I could utilise what I learnt at college and apply it straight away into my day job.
All of the courses I have done have helped me in my daily work and allowed me to increase my skill set.
What did you think about getting paid while you were learning on your Modern Apprenticeship?
This was one of the main reasons for me undertaking the MA rather than another level, I knew I wanted to further my higher learning, but I also have a mortgage and bills etc to pay so it was essential for me to be involved in a scheme which allowed me to learn while being paid.
Best of both worlds!
Why did you apply for this job?
I was looking to change career. I decided to work at the pool until I figured out what I wanted to do. I’ve always been an outdoorsy person and knew my ideal job would be working outside in some way. Gardening has always been a hobby of mine so I jumped at the chance when I saw the apprentice gardener job advertised. I’ve also always been very passionate about preserving the natural world so this job fitted me perfectly. I love seeing the positive benefits my work has on the environment and creatures within.
Did you always want to do this kind of work?
As I mentioned I’ve always had an interest in gardening, this interest was passed on through my mum. It had never crossed my mind that I could in fact to a job which is also my hobby so I hadn’t technically planned to become a professional gardener!
What do you do each day?
No day is the same! I could go on and on about all the stuff I do in my work.
I work on a 485 acre estate which has to be maintained to a 5 star level given the prestigiousness of the company. Image and first impression is so important.
My tasks are:
- Maintain appearance – keeping areas tidy, weeding, managing pests, pruning, grass cutting, strimming.
- Maintain green roof of distillery which is a wildflower meadow.
- Watering, maintaining kitchen garden/greenhouse which supplies bar and brasserie with produce.
- Harvesting produce.
- Managing the various habitats, woodlands, riverbanks, meadows.
- We are continually making improvements over the whole estate and undertake regular projects to do so.
- Maintaining and creating hedgerows.
- Tool maintenance
- Involved in planning and execution of various projects.
What diference does your job make to the rest of us?
My work reflects the values of the brand at The Macallan. The appearance must be in line with what is expected of such a high-end brand.
What kind of skills do you need to work in your job?
Hard working, ability to work in all weathers, good communication and team work. The ability to work using your initiative. A good eye for details. Must be able to adapt to change easily and prioritise tasks, as things can often crop up at short notice on such a large site. The obvious good knowledge of horticulture - good knowledge of plants and what they require to grow successfully, how to manage the various types of habitat we have. Being able to plan ahead and manage tasks weeks/months/years in advance. It is helpful to have the skills to operate machines like forklift, tractor and general driving as well.
What’s the best thing about your job?
I love knowing that the work I do in my job will be visible for years to come whilst still bringing those hugely important benefits to the environment and wildlife within. I love the variety in work which is entailed in being a gardener and as the seasons change, as do the tasks that need doing. I also feel very lucky to work outdoors in such a stunning location.
Do you enjoy it?
Very much so. It is never a thought for me getting up in the mornings and heading to work like some people find, I genuinely love what I do. I am allowed to be creative in my work and any ideas I have are listened to by my employer which makes me feel very valued.
Is there anything you’re particularly proud of?
I was tasked with designing and creating a new garden area beside one of the guest accommodation cottages on the estate. I organised and managed contactors, liaised with suppliers, produced designs and plans and finally planted the area. This area was barren and an eye sore with only grass present before. I have transformed this into a wildlife haven, full of insects buzzing around all day and making this area their home. I am extremely proud of what I have achieve having never undertaken a huge task like that before.
Have you had to deal with any challenges in your career?
It has been very hard finding the right equipment and workwear to fit me correctly. I didn’t realise when starting out in this industry there would be such a lack of women’s workwear to choose from and it has always been a struggle to find things. A lot of women I know can fit into men’s sizes, because they are taller, but I am 5’2 so cannot. In this day and age, it shouldn’t be this way.
Machinery is also built to suit tall men, as many things are heavy and too big for my petite stature. I think there is a huge gap in the market for women’s workwear and more compact equipment.
Do you work with any technology?
The green roof has a digital irrigation system which I monitor, this is due for an upgrade to a much more advance system. We are looking at various ways to bring technology into our work to make certain things easier and more streamlined.
What parts of your job or industry are green or sustainable?
Sustainability is extremely import to the company values and is at the forefront of our minds when carrying out our work. We use peat-free compost. We also make our own compost with any suitable waste material. We are making the gradual switch to having all electric equipment such as strimmers, leaf blowers and mowers. We recently upgraded to an electric ATV vehicle which I use to travel around site. A lot of grassed areas used to be cut all the time, but now we leave them to grow long to provide habitat and food sources for various wildlife. New wildflower meadows have also been created in place of cut grass areas, to again provide food source and nectar for insects.
What’s it like to live and work in this part of Scotland?
I couldn’t think of anywhere better to live or work, I think how lucky I am every day. I love seeing how the seasons change around me as the year progresses. I also enjoy the Scottish weather which is so varied, sometimes 4 seasons in 1 day! We also have such an array of amazing wildlife and native plant life here which I am lucky enough to see regularly in my job.
If one of your friends was thinking about doing a job like yours, what would you say to them?
Go for it. It is so rewarding and enjoyable. I love the varied work, I am never bored or lost for something to do! You can gain and enhance so many skills in the job and there are so many career paths within the horticulture industry which you can pursue.
What would you like to do in the future?
I am now studying for my HNC in Wildlife and Countryside Management through distance learning at SRUC through my employer. I hope the knowledge I gain from this can be integrated into my daily work, ensuring we do what is best for the environment and creatures within. I would love to design and create more new areas on the estate as this was something which I really enjoyed. I also hope to continue increasing my horticulture knowledge and work my way up to becoming a Head Gardener.