Looking for land based apprenticeship vacancies?
Being one with nature- experiencing the great outdoors …any other cliché?! Well if you’re the kind of person who fancies working with the natural beauties of England’s green and pleasant land- then an apprenticeship in the Horticulture field, could be a fantastic place to nourish your skills and flourish into a successful career in horticulture!
What’s it about?
Horticulture includes landscaping which covers the planning, creation, and maintenance of designed landscapes, both urban and rural. A ‘designed landscape’ is basically any piece of ground that has been changed to make it fit for a particular purpose, rather than left in its wild state.
Horticulture also includes sports turf, golf courses, parks and planning of domestic gardens. So you could be learning your trade maintaining a football ground, working on a golf course or find yourself working as a landscaper or gardener. Some landscaping businesses work on large projects, like motorway landscape construction, while others provide services like domestic gardening. Other businesses may be responsible for the upkeep of cemeteries or the maintenance of tree growth around public areas.
This industry improves quality of life here in the UK by enriching the rural and urban environment, and protecting our natural heritage.
Who’s it for?
Only those who love working outdoors- need apply. You also need to care about the environment and have some understanding of basic gardening knowledge. Basically, you need to love gardening!
You will also be left to work without supervision a lot of the time, so you need to be able to handle that maturely and responsibly. You won’t set a great impression if you’re yapping away on your phone, as soon as you’re left on your own accord. It also takes great skill and talent to have the ability to work well on your own in this industry.
Being physically fit and strong will also stand you in good stead- however working outdoors will only maintain your naturally wondrous physique as well as giving you a nice tan in the summer time…well, considering it’s the UK, maybe not.
What do I get out of it?
Many job roles become available to those who complete the basic level apprenticeship in horticulture; gardener, greenkeeper/groundsman, landscape architect, tree surgeon or an open space and park director. Here the start salary starts from £10k-£16k.
An apprenticeship framework in horticulture contains the following separate components: A knowledge-based element which tests the underpinning knowledge (a technical certificate), he NVQ type qualification, Key or Core Skills and a module on employment rights and responsibilities.
Completion of the advanced apprenticeship could see you move into a specialist role, like deputy green keeper or parks officer. Particular health and safety training is required in the safe handling of heavy machinery, pesticides and tree felling techniques, and all apprentices will have to take an emergency first aid qualification.
Working outdoors for a living can be a marvellous opportunity, which will leave your mates ‘green’ with envy when they discover you’ve been working outside on a beautiful summers day!
