Horticultural Apprentice - Crop Technician/Production – Find an apprenticeship

Summary

We grow outdoor plants to improve landscapes and gardens. We have multiple departments – propagation, growing, potting, preparing customer orders, etc and apprentices gain experience across all areas of the business. We hire apprentices with the intention of employing them long-term.

Wage

£15,311.40 to £24,761.88, depending on your age

National Minimum Wage

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Training course

Crop technician (level 3)

Hours

Winter: Monday to Thursday- 7.50am-4.30pm, Fri 7.50am-3.30pm. Summer: Monday to Thursday- 6.50am-3.30pm, Fri 6.50am-2.30pm. Overtime may be required at busy times which is paid at time and a half.

39 hours a week

Start date

Monday 1 September 2025

Duration

2 years

Positions available

2

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

Working on the different areas of the nursery, producing, caring for, assembling and preparing customer orders
Different departments look after various stages, and any apprentice is moved around them all in a rotation and spends time out on a Friday to get an overall view of operations

Where you'll work

Kings Acre
Hereford
HR4 7AY

Training

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

College or training organisation

WARWICKSHIRE COLLEGE

Your training course

Crop technician (level 3)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents

Identify and mitigate risks to promote and maintain health, safety and security. (Core)
Manage accurate paper or digital records within the workplace. (Core)
Maintain and operate machinery and equipment in accordance with manufacturer operating instructions. (Core)
Maximise economic sustainability by optimising plant growth when carrying out operations. (Core)
Establish crops to ensure efficient and sustainable growth. (Core)
Operate vehicles in accordance with manufacturer operating instructions. (Core)
Control pests, weeds and diseases using integrated pest management. (Core)
Apply and store pest management treatments in accordance with standard operating procedures, legislation and regulations. (Core)
Carry out plant nutrient application or irrigation tasks required by the crop. (Core)
Carry out harvesting and dispatch operations. (Core)
Assess and monitor crops for quality, performance and specification requirements. (Core)
Select harvesting techniques taking account of crop condition and quality requirements. (Core)
Maintain biosecurity and hygiene practices in line with legislation, regulations and organisational requirements. (Core)
Keep harvested crops in suitable conditions to maintain quality. (Core)
Maintain soils or substrates to ensure sustainable, efficient and healthy growth. (Core)
Sample and evaluate soil or substrate health to determine nutrition requirements. (Core)
Comply with health and safety legislation, regulations, guidelines and procedures relevant to own role. (Core)
Participate in learning and CPD activities. (Core)
Manage own time to achieve tasks to schedule. (Core)
Consider different approaches to current working practices, identifying improvements, developments and innovative ideas. (Core)
Set and monitor machinery performance to ensure good seed or plant establishment and crop growth. (Soil based)
Set machinery and equipment taking into account the crop, environment, soil condition and specification requirements. (Soil based)
Maintain non-productive areas. (Soil based)
Assess the impact of machinery on soil structure and identify potential damage in accordance with legislation. (Soil based)
Optimise growth conditions for crops, based on the specific needs of the plant relative to the environment. (Container based)
Maintain productive and non-productive areas. (Container based)
Plan for and carry out the removal of waste materials following harvest or dispatch. (Container based)
Evaluate and select different growing mediums taking into account site conditions and production requirements. (Container based)
Identify and mitigate risks to promote and maintain health, safety and security. (Core)
Manage accurate paper or digital records within the workplace. (Core)
Maintain and operate machinery and equipment in accordance with manufacturer operating instructions. (Core)
Maximise economic sustainability by optimising plant growth when carrying out operations. (Core)
Establish crops to ensure efficient and sustainable growth. (Core)
Operate vehicles in accordance with manufacturer operating instructions. (Core)
Control pests, weeds and diseases using integrated pest management. (Core)
Apply and store pest management treatments in accordance with standard operating procedures, legislation and regulations. (Core)
Carry out plant nutrient application or irrigation tasks required by the crop. (Core)
Carry out harvesting and dispatch operations. (Core)
Assess and monitor crops for quality, performance and specification requirements. (Core)
Select harvesting techniques taking account of crop condition and quality requirements. (Core)
Maintain biosecurity and hygiene practices in line with legislation, regulations and organisational requirements. (Core)
Keep harvested crops in suitable conditions to maintain quality. (Core)
Maintain soils or substrates to ensure sustainable, efficient and healthy growth. (Core)
Sample and evaluate soil or substrate health to determine nutrition requirements. (Core)
Comply with health and safety legislation, regulations, guidelines and procedures relevant to own role. (Core)
Participate in learning and CPD activities. (Core)
Manage own time to achieve tasks to schedule. (Core)
Consider different approaches to current working practices, identifying improvements, developments and innovative ideas. (Core)

Your training plan

Level 2 Awards in:

Safe Use of Pesticides

On completion of the pesticides foundation unit above, also choose one of the following units:

Boom sprayer, mounted, trailed or self-propelled equipment
Granular applicator equipment
Handheld applicator equipment

Level 3 Award in Emergency First Aid at Work. Apprentices aged 16-18 at the start of their apprenticeship and without Level 2 English and Maths (GCSE grade 4 or C or above) will need to achieve this level prior to taking the end-point assessment. Those aged 19+ at the start of their apprenticeship and without Level 2 English and Maths (GCSE grade 4 or C or above) will have the option as to whether they would like to achieve this.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

Maths, English (grade 3/D)

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
Problem solving skills
Team working
Physical fitness
Listening skills

Other requirements

Most tasks involve working with other people in teams Some heavy lifting of pots may be needed Sometimes we work outside whatever the weather

About this company

Large Ornamental Plant Nursery based in Hereford. Growing Trees Shrubs and herbaceous stock for landscapers and garden centres

After this apprenticeship

4 apprentices are now employed full time in responsible positions throughout the company, therefore, for the right candidate there may be the opportunity to obtain a full-time job on completion of the apprenticeship.

Ask a question

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