Apprentice Horticultural Operative
Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council
Oldbury, West Bromwich
Closes on Friday 12 September 2025
Posted on 5 August 2025
Contents
Summary
Sandwell Council is offering an exciting opportunity to start your career in horticulture with two distinct placements available: Within cemeteries and crematoria, focusing on sensitive grounds maintenance and grave preparation. Within grounds maintenance operating in parks and supporting the upkeep and improvement of open spaces.
- Wage
-
£14,526.20 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- Horticulture or landscape construction operative (level 2)
- Hours
-
Cemeteries & Crematoria: Monday - Friday (8.00am - 4.30pm)
Grounds Maintenance: Monday - Friday (7.00am - 3.00pm)
37 hours a week
- Start date
-
Saturday 1 November 2025
- Duration
-
2 years
- Positions available
-
5
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
You’ll gain hands-on experience in a varied outdoor environment, learning practical skills in gardening, grounds maintenance, and customer interaction - all while working towards a nationally recognised qualification.
Your duties may include:
- General horticultural tasks such as planting, pruning, weeding, and maintaining flower beds, rose beds, shrubs, herbaceous borders, grassed areas and sports pitches
- Grounds maintenance including grass cutting, litter picking, and sweeping, emptying of litter bins
- Use and maintenance of plant/small machinery such as hand tools, strimmers, mowers, and leaf blowers
- Internal and external cleaning of buildings, toilets and open spaces
- Loading and unloading of equipment and materials from vehicles
- Interacting with members of the public in a polite, respectful, and helpful manner
- Supporting the preparation and delivery of special events and activities
Cemeteries & Crematoria Only:
- Supporting the preparation and delivery of funerals
- Grave digging (with full training provided)
Where you'll work
You can select which locations you want to apply for in your application on Find an apprenticeship.
This apprenticeship is available in these locations:
- Grounds Maintenance Department, Taylors Lane, Oldbury, B69 2BW
- Sandwell Valley Crematorium, Newton Road, West Bromwich, B71 3SX
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
HEREFORDSHIRE, LUDLOW, AND NORTH SHROPSHIRE COLLEGE
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.
Training schedule
- As well as working towards a Level 2 qualification in Horticulture, you will learn job-specific skills from experienced colleagues
- The apprenticeship training will be delivered in the workplace, as you will receive visits from a college assessor
- The apprenticeship will also include a proportion of 20% Off The Job Training and a robust programme of Mandatory Apprentice Training provided by Sandwell Council to include Fire Awareness, Prevent, Safeguarding, Data Protection & Cyber Security and Equality & Diversity. Council's Apprenticeships team
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 9-4/A-C)
- Maths (grade 9-4/A-C)
Other in:
- English (grade Level 2)
- Maths (grade Level 2)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- IT skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Presentation skills
- Administrative skills
- Number skills
- Analytical skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Creative
- Initiative
- Non judgemental
- Patience
- Physical fitness
- Outdoor working
- Empathy & Sympathy
- Adhere to Health & Safety
- Flexible to travel
- Wear PPE
Other requirements
- Proof of qualification certificates will be required during the recruitment process. - You must be able to work outdoors / deal with changeable weather conditions and have an interest in horticulture/the outside environment. - You may be required to travel to a college that may be outside of the Sandwell Borough - It would be advantageous to be physically fit - We reserve the right to close vacancies prior to their advertised date, if we receive a large number of applications. Therefore, you are strongly advised to complete and return your application as soon as possible.
About this employer
Sandwell is a large, multicultural metropolitan borough situated in the heart of the Black Country, to the west of Birmingham, within the West Midlands conurbation and with a population of over 280,000. The Council is one of the largest employers in the Borough with employees in a variety of occupations, providing a comprehensive range of services. For more information about Sandwell Council’s apprenticeship programme and our recruitment process please visit our YouTube channel. Find out more information on Sandwell’s Values and Behaviours on the council’s webpage. For more information on careers in local government you can view a copy of the Local Government Career Guide.
http://www.sandwell.gov.uk/apprenticeships (opens in new tab)
After this apprenticeship
- This apprenticeship is a fixed term 24 month contract and at the end you will gain a Level 2 Horticulture Operative Qualification
- However, the skills, knowledge and experience gained in this apprenticeship will allow you to gain future opportunities in the sector
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
HEREFORDSHIRE, LUDLOW, AND NORTH SHROPSHIRE COLLEGE
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000335709.
Apply now
Closes on Friday 12 September 2025
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