Gardener Apprentice

  • Company: Howbury Hall farm
  • Location: Renhold, MK41 0JB
  • Type: Apprenticeship
  • Salary:
  • Sector: Horticulture
  • Ref: VAC-11730
  • Application Deadline Date: 03/03/2019
  • Start Date: 18/03/2019
  • Positions Available: 1
  • Working Week: Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm, Flexible working hours on occasions

Brief Description

Work closely with head gardener in flower gardens, vegetable garden, large walled garden, greenhouse, small commercial cut flower nursery, new (heritage fruit trees) orchard, seasonal hedge and tree work. Option to learn beekeeping.

Qualifications Required

GCES's English and maths A*-D or 9-2 or Level 1 Functional Skills

Personal Qualities

The candidate should have a real and all-round interest in gardening and plantsmanship in the vegetable, flower and fruit and woodland gardens. You need to enjoy strong physical work and working outdoors with your hands and with machinery (and in all weathers). Punctuality, care and attention to detail is important. Common sense, hard work and pride in the job are what we are looking for. A practical attitude, enthusiasm and a willingness to learn new skills. A good team worker; sense of humour.

Skills Required

The candidate ideally will have practical skills and the ability to work independently when judged competent. Able to undertake physical tasks confidently.

Training to be Provided

You will gain the following qualifications:
Work-Based Horticulture City & Guilds/NPTC Level 2 Diploma

Plus...
•Emergency First Aid at Work Level 2 Award
•Employment Rights and Responsibilities
•Functional Skills in English and maths.

During this apprenticeship you will study a range of topics, which could include:
•Monitoring and maintaining health and safety
•Maintaining and developing personal performance
•Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with others
•Clearing horticultural and landscaping sites
•Maintain moisture levels for crops or plants
•Provide nutrients to crops or plants

Other units will vary depending on which pathway you choose to follow.

You will also have the opportunity to take additional qualifications including Safe Use of Pesticides (PA1), Cylinder and Rotary Operated Pedestrian Mowers, Chainsaw and Related Operations, Safe Use of Hedge Trimmers and more.

Future Prospects

At the end of your apprenticeship you should be:
Very employable in any good horticulture business or private garden
Experienced and confident
Ready to move to a higher level of training if you wish
Ready to move choose and develop any specialist area within horticulture

Vacancy Detail

Work closely with head gardener in flower gardens, vegetable garden, large walled garden, greenhouse, small commercial cut flower nursery, new (heritage fruit trees) orchard, seasonal hedge and tree work. Option to learn beekeeping.

Howbury Hall Gardens is a 10 acre traditional garden at the centre of a busy mixed farm managed by a young and vigorous team. You will work closely with the head gardener and learn a full and varied range of garden skills across flower, vegetable, soft fruit, ornamental shrubs, orchard and arboriculture.

Your role and job experience will include

• Greenhouse work
• Cultivation and use of fertiliser
• Propagation and growing on weeding
• Use of Sprays
• Grafting and Pruning
• Planning - to ensure a constant succession of flowers and foodstuffs throughout the year
• Lawncare and Grass and hedge cutting
• Hedge planting, laying and cutting
• Coppice work and tree care; Conservation and wildlife planting
• Maintenance of machinery and tools
• Beekeeping

Your role will give you the opportunity to develop a good all-round knowledge of the key gardening skills and disciplines.

You will learn through hands on experience working alongside a highly experienced young manager and through weekly day release (paid) training to undertake confidently the key tasks in horticulture.

Other Information

This is a role that involves hard physical work outdoors in all weathers.

You will be required to attend1 day per week at Shuttleworth college in Bedfordshire.

Candidates must attend an initial interview with a member of the Bedford College Apprenticeship Recruitment Team and complete an online maths and English test which will be sent out prior to your initial interview if you meet the entry criteria. Please note this is part of the recruitment process and must be completed in order for your application to be progressed to the next stage.

This apprenticeship has expired