General Estate Apprentice

Summary

General Estate Worker to assist and work alongside the forestry and ground maintenance teams.

Wage

£15,704 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

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Training course

Horticulture or landscape construction operative (level 2)

Hours

5 days per week - Monday to Sunday, exact working days and hours TBC

40 hours a week

Start date

Monday 1 September 2025

Duration

2 years

Positions available

1

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

Main duties include:

General chainsaw work (subject to training & ability)
Assisting with forestry operations (felling, processing, chipping, transporting and stacking)
Assisting with identifying and felling dangerous trees on roadsides and around properties
Assisting tree surgeon contractors
Tree planting and aftercare
Hedge cutting and planting
Assisting with fetching, cutting, and loading timber
Ivy clearance
Grass cutting, maintenance and improvement
Leaf collecting
Raking gravel & parking areas
Strimming and brush cutting (subject to training)
Removal of vegetation from walkways and pavement
Planting bulbs and trees
Weeding
Spraying (subject to training)
Litter picking verges and green spaces

Where you'll work

Belvoir Castle
Belvoir
Grantham
NG32 1PE

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

College or training organisation

THE SMB GROUP

Your training course

Horticulture or landscape construction operative (level 2)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

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

Horticulture or Landscape Construction Operative Level 2
Day release to Brooksby Campus
On-the-job training
Off-the-job training

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

English (grade 2)
Maths (grade 2)

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
Logical
Team working
Initiative
Willingness to learn

Other requirements

- Travel due to location - Driving license desirable

About this company

The Belvoir Estate is a historical site dating back thousands of years. Belvoir has over 16,000 acres of mixed farmland, woodland and aquatic habitats. We are very proud of the wide range of animal and plant species that visit, stay and breed here. Sadly, many of these species are threatened as a result of national and international climate change. We are committed to doing what we can for these wildlife species

After this apprenticeship

Progression to Level 3 Forestry Craftsman.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

THE SMB GROUP

Apprenticeships

apprenticeships@smbgroup.ac.uk

01530519001

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000320043.

Apply now

Closes in 30 days (Friday 13 June 2025 at 11:59pm)

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