GCA GROW is the e-Learning facility created by the GCA. Our engaging e-Learning uses the latest technology to bring high quality education and training to individuals employed in the garden centre sector. Colleagues at GCA member centres – the highest quality and, we are proud to say, the best garden centres in the UK – up and down the country, as well as Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) garden centre members, can enjoy learning by completing the engaging and interactive courses on GROW. Thousands of garden centre employees are learning more about how a garden centre operates and about the plants and products they come across day to day.
The objectives of GROW are simple; firstly, to help garden centre staff to improve their knowledge, gain confidence and expertise and secondly (but equally importantly) to improve the quality of the customer’s experience at their garden centre. Customers can be assured that they are always receiving the correct, practical, and unbiased advice, solutions to problems and help with gardening projects.
Since its launch in 2013, we have continued to add content and our extensive course catalogue contains almost 100 courses to make the system the most comprehensive training package available for the garden centre sector. With more than 12,000 people using GROW there is something for everyone. Topics covered not only include plants and garden products but accredited Health and Safety and Food Safety courses as well as the GCA Customer Service Programme – 28 courses designed to help centres deliver an exemplary customer experience.
The GCA’s vision is to support and encourage our members to deliver a sustainable future and to help them to achieve this we launched 5 new courses that focus on peat-free growing media. These were written with the support of the HTA, The Growing Media Association, and the Responsible Sourcing Scheme for Growing Media and have been designed to help garden centre staff to understand why peatlands are important and what the horticulture industry is doing to reduce the use of peat, as well as provide the best advice on peat-free products.
