Summer-ready El Verger: Gardening students help transform public spaces

As summer approaches, public spaces across El Verger are getting a seasonal refresh thanks to a group of gardening students gaining hands-on experience through a regional employment and training programme.

Students enrolled in the Gardening specialism of the Marina Alta XV Employment Workshop, run by CREAMA, have been working alongside local teams to prepare parks, gardens and municipal facilities ahead of the busy summer season. Their latest focus has been the improvement and maintenance of the landscaped areas surrounding El Verger’s municipal swimming pool, which is set to welcome residents and visitors in the coming weeks.

Practical training with a real community impact

The initiative forms part of a wider programme designed to help participants develop practical skills while contributing to the communities they serve. Rather than learning solely in a classroom environment, students are carrying out real maintenance work in public spaces, allowing them to build valuable experience that can improve their future employment prospects.

Tasks carried out in El Verger have included tidying landscaped areas, preparing green spaces for increased summer use and helping ensure municipal facilities are presented at their best ahead of the holiday season. The work has been coordinated with the town’s municipal maintenance brigade, creating an opportunity for students to learn directly from experienced professionals.

Local leaders visit the project

The students’ efforts recently received recognition during a visit from local officials, who toured the site to see the work being undertaken. Representatives from El Verger Town Hall met with participants and programme coordinators to learn more about the practical activities being carried out and the benefits the project is delivering for both the municipality and the trainees.

The visit highlighted the importance of employment workshops in providing practical pathways into work while also improving local infrastructure and public spaces.

A programme that reaches across the Marina Alta

The work in El Verger is only one part of a much larger initiative. Throughout the 12-month programme, students will travel to other municipalities across the Marina Alta to undertake maintenance and landscaping projects, broadening their experience across different environments and public spaces.

The project is supported through funding from the Valencian employment and training service LABORA and aims to strengthen employability while helping local councils maintain attractive, welcoming public areas.

For El Verger, the timing is ideal. With summer visitors expected and outdoor spaces playing a key role in community life, the students’ work is helping ensure the town’s parks, gardens and recreational areas are ready for the season ahead, while also providing a valuable stepping stone into the green jobs sector for the next generation of horticultural professionals.