Chris Hicken, Ladywood Contract, Birmingham City Council

A passion for gardening

Chris has already worked on the contract for a couple of years and heads up the ornamental team, looking after a diverse range of amenity areas including heritage sites, parks, warden schemes and schools.

After a false start working in the retail and warehouse business on leaving school, he chose to follow the passion for gardening developed through maintaining family gardens from a young age. The apprenticeship scheme which became available when Quadron took over the contract in 2009 gave him the opportunity to pursue this as a career and gain relevant qualifications.

Chris is presently attending Kings Heath Horticultural School which is in Partnership with Pershore College of Horticulture. He is also training to be a biodiversity champion and taking other opportunities for training as they arise, presently training to NPTC in herbicide application PA1 & 6.

Chris's ambition is to further improve his horticultural skills and to take on increasing responsibilities within Quadron, possibly becoming a contract trainer or supervisor in the future.

Outside work he enjoys keeping fit through swimming, running and football and is also focussing on getting into the property market.