Summary
Do you like the outdoors, have a keen interest in gardening and are passionate about developing a career in horticulture? If so, you might be the ideal candidate for Fareham Borough Council’s new Apprentice Gardener role.
Wage
£14,526.20 to £23,492.04 a year
Training course
Horticulture or landscape construction operative (level 2)
Hours
Monday to Thursday, 08.00 - 16.00. Friday, 08.00 - 15.30. This will include day release to Sparsholt College during term time.
37 hours a week
Possible start date
Friday 25 April
Duration
2 years 3 months
Positions available
1
Work
As an apprentice, you’ll work at a company and get hands-on experience. You’ll gain new skills and work alongside experienced staff.
What you’ll do at work
As an Apprentice Gardener you will work within the Council’s award winning Grounds Maintenance team learning all aspects of maintaining the Council’s land.
You will develop your horticulture skills working within the local parks, gardens (including Green Flag standard sites), cemeteries and sports grounds.
Work tasks will include:
* Assisting with the planting and maintenance of seasonal displays
* Maintenance of sustainable roadside floral displays
* Maintenance of the Council’s bowling greens, cricket squares and football pitches
* Seasonal soft landscape work and grass, hedge and shrub border maintenance
* To undertake the above tasks you will learn to use strimmer’s pedestrian and ride on grass cutting machinery, hedge trimmers, various hand tools and a range of fine turf machinery.
We are looking for someone who is enthusiastic, keen to learn both on the job and at college, conscientious with a high level of common sense and professionalism. You should be aware that you would be expected to work outside all year round and in all weather conditions. Candidates will also be expected to have a minimum GCSE (or equivalent) grade C in English and Maths and will need to attend an assessment session at Sparsholt College before starting on the apprenticeship course.
You will be based at the Council’s depot and the Apprenticeship training will be undertaken on a day release basis at Sparsholt College.
As part of a team you will develop your on the job skills to:
Maintain sports grounds, parks, cemeteries and other public spaces.
Undertake horticultural duties including soft and hard landscaping, site preparation, planting, turf maintenance and pruning of trees, shrubs and bedding maintenance.
Assist in the excavation and backfilling of graves.
Inspect and maintain equipped play areas and other sites. Sweep, collect and remove litter, rubbish and animal waste. Complete very basic paperwork.
You must make sure that you follow our procedures and Health and Safety rules.
You need to behave properly and remember that you represent the Council in all that you do.
You must speak to customers and colleagues in a helpful and polite way.
You will be expected to undertake your “off the job” Apprenticeship training on a day release basis at college.
Where you’ll work
Fareham Borough Council
Broadcut Depot
Fareham
PO16 8SP
Training
An apprenticeship includes regular training with a college or other training organisation. At least 20% of your working hours will be spent training or studying.
College or training organisation
SPARSHOLT COLLEGE
Your training course
Horticulture or landscape construction operative (level 2)
Equal to GCSE
Course contents
* (Core) Apply health and safety processes and procedures including risk assessments and or construction design management (CDM), manual handling, legislative requirements and organisational policies. Follow safe systems of work and safety information in line with employer requirements or site context (for example clearing their route before transporting materials).
* (Core) Apply environmental mitigation measures including storage and disposal of waste, for example sorting materials for recycling or composting, acting in compliance with legal requirements, organisational policies and pollution controls.
* (Core) Select, undertake a pre start check, set up, clean, store and safely operate tools, equipment and machinery (including pedestrian controlled and handheld) in line with current legislation and business policies.
* (Core) Communicate with technical (for example supervisors or managers) and non-technical audiences (for example clients or the public) using language appropriate to the audience.
* (Core) Identify plants commonly grown in the UK by scientific names including genus species and or cultivar.
* (Core) Maintain the correct phytosanitary and bio-security procedures for the site, in accordance with legal requirements.
* (Core) Identify and report symptoms and or signs of commonly found UK plant pests, pathogens and disorders.
* (Core) Maintain plant health for example providing for basic needs such as water, nutrition (either organic or inorganic), light.
* (Core) Cultivate, improve and preserve soils by mechanical methods and or by hand including amelioration and mulching (these might be imported or natural).
* (Core) Clear unwanted vegetation, selecting techniques to be used (for example weeding).
* (Core) Remove unwanted or damaged growth from plants using a pruning cut.
* (Core) Plant shrubs and a tree using a simple tree pit.
* (Core) Install turf for situation.
* (Core) Mow turf using pedestrian controlled powered driven mower.
* (Core) Maintain or protect hard surfaces, features or structures for example painting, re-gravelling, removing weeds from paving, drain clearance, cleaning.
* (Core) Use digital tools and techniques for research, collaboration, continuous professional development and resolution of problems.
* (Landscape construction) Measure and set out an uncomplicated site in preparation for landscape construction activities.
* (Landscape construction) Use free hand cutting and or bench cutting of hard landscape materials using abrasive wheels.
* (Landscape construction) Repair constructed landscape features (simple and noncomplex) for example re-grouting, re-sanding, damaged fencing.
* (Landscape construction) Construct paved feature for example path, patio or shed base. Including setting levels, sub bases, laying bases, finishing.
* (Landscape construction) Construct vertical landscape features including fences, ornamental vertical features, and walls.
* (Landscape construction) Install drainage in landscaping.
* (Landscape construction) Construct horizontal landscape features (excluding paving).
* (Horticulture) Propagate plants by cuttings and seed sowing (this might be indoors or outdoors). Including selection of suitable growing media and or soil.
* (Horticulture) Provide aftercare to recently installed turf and maintain established turf or species rich meadows including irrigation, maintenance, monitoring health and protection from use.
* (Horticulture) Identify if plants are suitable to site, purpose and aesthetics.
* (Horticulture) Maintain soft landscapes for example - staking or support, division, seasonal clearance, and re-planting.
* (Horticulture) Monitor and control plant pests, pathogens, and disorders using basic control methods (including application of chemicals or organic equivalents).
* (Horticulture) Plant herbaceous and seasonal planting (for example bedding, herbs or bulbs).
* (Horticulture) Prune plants to achieve healthy growth and form (including natural habit and formal or trained form).
* (Core) Apply health and safety processes and procedures including risk assessments and or construction design management (CDM), manual handling, legislative requirements and organisational policies. Follow safe systems of work and safety information in line with employer requirements or site context (for example clearing their route before transporting materials).
* (Core) Apply environmental mitigation measures including storage and disposal of waste, for example sorting materials for recycling or composting, acting in compliance with legal requirements, organisational policies and pollution controls.
* (Core) Select, undertake a pre start check, set up, clean, store and safely operate tools, equipment and machinery (including pedestrian controlled and handheld) in line with current legislation and business policies.
* (Core) Communicate with technical (for example supervisors or managers) and non-technical audiences (for example clients or the public) using language appropriate to the audience.
* (Core) Identify plants commonly grown in the UK by scientific names including genus species and or cultivar.
* (Core) Maintain the correct phytosanitary and bio-security procedures for the site, in accordance with legal requirements.
* (Core) Identify and report symptoms and or signs of commonly found UK plant pests, pathogens and disorders.
* (Core) Maintain plant health for example providing for basic needs such as water, nutrition (either organic or inorganic), light.
* (Core) Cultivate, improve and preserve soils by mechanical methods and or by hand including amelioration and mulching (these might be imported or natural).
* (Core) Clear unwanted vegetation, selecting techniques to be used (for example weeding).
* (Core) Remove unwanted or damaged growth from plants using a pruning cut.
* (Core) Plant shrubs and a tree using a simple tree pit.
* (Core) Install turf for situation.
* (Core) Mow turf using pedestrian controlled powered driven mower.
* (Core) Maintain or protect hard surfaces, features or structures for example painting, re-gravelling, removing weeds from paving, drain clearance, cleaning.
* (Core) Use digital tools and techniques for research, collaboration, continuous professional development and resolution of problems.
Your training plan
You will attend Sparsholt College on a day release basis during term time, where you will work towards the following:
* Horticulture and Landscape Operative Level 2 Apprenticeship Standard
* Emergency First Aid
PA1 PA6
* Apprentices without Level 2 English and maths must achieve Level 1 and take the test for Level 2 before taking the end-point assessment.
Full qualifications include;
* (Core) Level 3 Award in Emergency First Aid at Work (Ofqual registered) minimum 1-day course
* (Horticulture Operative) Lantra Awards Level 2 Award in Safe Use of Pesticides OR City and Guilds Level 2 Principles of Safe Handling and Application of Pesticides
* (Horticulture Operative) Lantra Awards Level 2 Award in the Safe Application of Pesticide Using Hand Held Equipment OR City and Guilds Level 2 Award In The Safe Application of Pesticides Using Pedestrian Hand Held Equipment
* (Landscaping construction) City and Guilds NPTC Level 2 Certificate of Competence in the Safe Use of Abrasive Wheel Machines or Lantra Abrasive Wheel Machines Course
Apprentices will need to achieve the EPA's to achieve their apprenticeship:
Online knowledge assessment - a 60-minute online test containing 40 multiple choice questions.
Practical assessment EPA - a range of 4 practical activities taking no more than six hours undertaken in controlled conditions with responses to verbal questioning from the Independent End Point Assessor. The apprentice will undertake 3 core tasks and one task from the optional route - Horticulture or Landscaping.
Professional Discussion EPA - An hour-long professional discussion under controlled conditions between the EPA and the apprentice to allow the apprentice to demonstrate their knowledge
You will be required to attend Sparsholt College on a day release basis to learn about horticulture, to include:
* Health and Safety
* Use and maintain non-powered and handheld powered equipment
* Use and maintain pedestrian controlled equipment
* Environment protection
* Plant identification and nomenclature - Latin and common
* Vegetation control
* Soil science and cultivation
* Plant establish and maintenance
* Plant grown
* Plant health
* Establish and maintain amenity areas
* Survey and mark out sites for landscaping features
* Construct hard landscape features
* Maintain hard landscape features
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE or equivalent in:
* English (grade C (4))
* Maths (grade C (4) OR ABOVE)
Desirable qualifications
Other in:
* Driving Licence (grade Full)
Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.
Skills
* Communication skills
* Attention to detail
* Organisation skills
* Customer care skills
* Problem solving skills
* Team working
* Initiative
* Physical fitness
* An interest in Horticulture
* Motivated
* Reliable with good timekeeping
Other requirements
This is a physically demanding role where you will be working outside in all weathers. You will have to be able to get to Sparsholt College on a weekly basis.