Apprentice Horticulture/Landscape Construction Operative
BARNSTAPLE TOWN COUNCIL
BARNSTAPLE (EX32 8LS)
Closes in 19 days (Tuesday 2 September 2025 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 13 August 2025
Contents
Summary
Barnstaple Town Council are offering an exciting opportunity to join their dynamic team as a Horticulture/Landscape Construction Operative Apprentice! Gain the knowledge, skills and behaviours to kickstart your career in the industry.
- Wage
-
£14,526.20 to £23,492.04, depending on your age
National Minimum Wage
Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Negotiable depending on age and experience.
- Training course
- Horticulture or landscape construction operative (level 2)
- Hours
-
Monday - Thursday 8am - 4pm
Friday 8am - 3:30pm.
37 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 6 October 2025
- Duration
-
1 year 6 months
- 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
The apprentice will get involved in all aspects of the business, the main duties being:
- Mowing lawns / sit-down mower
- Maintenance of the surrounding woodland and shrubs
- Pruning, mowing, strimming, hedge trimming
- Maintenance of shrubs
- Planting, plant care and maintenance of plants/shrubs
- Pest control
- Waste and recycling duties
- Low-level sports and grounds maintenance
A positive attitude and a genuine interest in horticulture and grounds maintenance is essential.
Where you'll work
BARUM HOUSE
THE SQUARE
BARNSTAPLE
EX32 8LS
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
CORNWALL 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
The apprenticeship is delivered by Bicton College in the form of block weeks. The apprentice will spend their working time with the employer, and roughly every 6 weeks, they will spend a full week at Bicton College. Accommodation is available on site.
You will be working towards a Level 2 Horticulture/Landscape Construction Operative Apprenticeship Standard.
You will receive on and off-the-job training and support from an assessor and an Apprenticeship Advisor.
More training information
The apprentice will recieve an Emergency First Aid qualification and also a PA1 qualification.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 3/D)
- Maths (grade 3/D)
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
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Team working
- Initiative
- Non judgemental
- Patience
- Tact and Diplomacy
- Willing to work in all weather
- Self-motivated
- Can-do attitude
- Punctuality
Other requirements
Ideally live locally and would need to be able to get into Barnstaple Town Centre. Driving licence would be desirable but not essential.
About this employer
Barnstaple is a large and thriving market town, the ‘capital’ of North Devon. North Devon District Council was awarded £6.5M through the Future High Streets Fund which is bringing great redevelopment opportunities for the town centre and the Town Council is involved in some of the implementation of this at the Guildhall. More recently they were also awarded a £3,000,000 Cultural Development Fund grant for the town. The town has a population of just over 24,000, but this figure doubles when the immediate surrounding parishes are included. In fact, it serves 130,000 people across the nearby area. Barnstaple is fast expanding too, with new housing developments expected to add 8,000 to the population over the next 15-20 years.
After this apprenticeship
Potential to progress to Level 3 Horticulture and Landscape Supervisor apprenticeship.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
CORNWALL COLLEGE
Holly
0330 123 4785
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000336823.
Apply now
Closes in 19 days (Tuesday 2 September 2025 at 11:59pm)
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