Horticulture or Landscape Construction Operative apprentice

Summary

Eden Project are offering an exciting opportunity to join their dynamic team as a Horticulture or Landscape Construction Operative apprentice! Gain the knowledge, skills and behaviours to kickstart your career in this exciting industry.

Wage

£16,633.50 a year

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Benefits include; Extensive training opportunities 30 days annual leave (pro rata) Employee Discount We also operate a car share scheme so that if transport is or becomes a barrier you can link in with other employees in your area.

Training course

Horticulture or landscape construction operative (level 2)

Hours

Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 4pm. Very occasional weekend work.

37 hours 30 minutes a week

Start date

Monday 1 September 2025

Duration

1 year 6 months

Positions available

4

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

Role Purpose:

To provide horticultural and landscaping support across Eden, whilst being provided with on-the-job training. The role will involve working in all horticultural areas at Eden, including the Rainforest biome, Mediterranean Biome, 30-acre Outdoor Garden, Eden’s bespoke plant-growing nursery, Eden’s 200-acre estate and grounds, and occasionally with hard landscaping and horticultural technical support teams.

Key Accountabilities

To support and learn from the horticultural team in jobs such as pruning, planting, seed sowing, watering, weeding and all plant care along with habitat management.
To assist and learn about the creation and maintenance hard and soft landscaping – such as hedgerows, walling, fencing, pathways and bridleways.
To learn about and share the responsibility for the use, care and maintenance of hand tools and small machinery used in horticultural tasks, including equipment for grass and hedge cutting, strimming, planting, pruning, and the use of golf buggies.
To continuously and enthusiastically strive to increase your own horticultural knowledge - including plant care and knowledge and plant identification, pests and diseases, soil management, sustainable practices, garden management and design and efficient working practices.

Demands of the Role

Education & qualifications:

There are no formal qualifications required for this position; however, the job holder will be required to have a good level of literacy and numeracy.

Knowledge & skills

The job holder will be expected to have a basic-level understanding of plants and the natural world and a thirst to learn more.
An interest in and love for horticulture and a desire to embark on a career in horticulture are essential.
The job holder will be required to have an intermediate level of IT skills.

Decision-making:

Decisions will be low level and routine in nature, with minimal business impact. Any complex or difficult decision-making will be guided and supported by the mentorship of a senior team member.

Resourcefulness

The job holder will need to collaborate with colleagues and senior staff to devise innovative and creative ways to improve horticultural efficiency.

Communication & visitor experience:

The job holder is required to engage, communicate and interact with colleagues, horticulturalists from other gardens and members of the public and both verbally and in writing.

Operational environment:

The role requires physical effort daily, such as bending, lifting and carrying, digging, working on slopes and in cold, hot or inclement weather.

Where you'll work

Bodelva
Par
Cornwall
PL24 2SG

Training

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

College or training organisation

CORNWALL COLLEGE

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

You will be working towards a Horticulture & Landscape Operative Intermediate Apprenticeship Level 2 which includes:

Level 3 Award in Emergency First Aid at Work.
Level 2 Award in Safe Use of Pesticides (subject to pathway).
You will need to attend Duchy College Rosewarne one day per week.
You will receive on and off the job training and support from an assessor and your employer.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

English (grade 3/D)
Maths (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
Problem solving skills
Number skills
Team working
Initiative
Patience

About this company

At the Eden Project – iconic tourist attraction, social enterprise and educational charity – we’re on a mission to connect people with each other and the living world, exploring how we can work towards a better future. We're one of the top 100 best not-for-profits to work for in the UK. Come and join us.

https://www.edenproject.com/work-at-eden/current-vacancies (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

Free entry to Eden and Heligan for family and friends. Financial wellbeing support – access to 121 sessions with an independent financial advisor. Access to UNUM platform for wellbeing support. Death in service policy.

After this apprenticeship

After completing the Level 2 Horticulture or Landscape Construction Operative apprenticeship, apprentices may go on to become professional landscapers or gardeners.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

CORNWALL COLLEGE

Holly

01209 616 452

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000323950.

Apply now

Closes in 11 days (Tuesday 17 June 2025)

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