A graduate of the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) has progressed to international plant conservation work after completing her foundation degree at Greenmount Campus in 2023.

Audrey Tam, who had no formal horticulture training before attending CAFRE, said the college provided a strong foundation that enabled her to continue to master's level. She completed her MSc at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, where her thesis on the Vireya rhododendron group earned her the Top Student Award.

During her time in Edinburgh, Tam worked in nursery and glasshouse operations, tropical plant collection maintenance, pest inspection and plant propagation. She also gained herbarium experience in specimen identification and taxonomic research.

Tam contributed to Scottish native plant conservation projects and worked with rare and threatened species. She also took part in an international field trip to Colombia to study tropical plant diversity.

She is now preparing to travel to Borneo, Singapore and Hong Kong to work with botanic gardens and conservation organisations.

Tam said practical experience through volunteering alongside further education can open pathways into specialist horticulture, conservation and research roles.

CAFRE will hold a Horticulture Open Day at Greenmount Campus on Wednesday 9 October for those interested in courses.