Grounds Maintenance Apprenticeship
TCB GROUNDS MAINTENANCE LIMITED
ROCHDALE (OL16 4YA)
Closes in 12 days (Friday 7 November 2025 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 23 October 2025
Contents
Summary
We are offering an opportunity to join our busy, friendly team as a horticulture grounds maintenance apprentice, based in the Greater Manchester. We will support you in learning a range of skills such as weed management, hedge cutting and tree removal, as you complete your Horticulture Level 2 apprenticeship.
- Wage
-
£12,759.50 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
-
Monday - Friday 32.5 hours per week, working hours TBC
32 hours 30 minutes a week
- Start date
-
Monday 10 November 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
Vacancy description - What will the apprentice be doing?
Practical internal/external works undertaken including but not limited to:
- Grass cutting operations using both pedestrian and ride on mowing machines
- Hedge cutting and hedge maintenance
- Maintenance of flower beds including planting and remove
- Tree and shrub planting
- Bowling green maintenance including end of season maintenance and mowing
- Sports pitch maintenance
- Shrub bed maintenance
- Weed control including hand weeding and spraying using both CDA applicator and conventional spraying techniques
- Leaf collection
- Clearance of overgrown plots
- Minor tree works such as epicormics growth removal
- Control of invasive weeds
- Propagation cultivation of bedding plants
- Minor landscape works
- Maintenance of high-profile civic sites throughout the borough
- Ensuring work carried out is to the highest standards at all times
- Learning new skills and applying them to practical work
Where you'll work
28 LAMBOURNE GROVE
MILNROW
ROCHDALE
OL16 4YA
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
THE OLDHAM 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
Horticulture Level 2.
- Emergency first aid: Level 3 award in emergency first aid at work
- Pesticides: Level 2 Principles of Safe Handling and Application of Pesticides Guidance OR Level 2 Award in the Safe Use of Pesticides
Requirements
Desirable qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade Grade 9-3/A*-D or equivalent)
- Maths (grade Grade 9-3/A*-D or equivalent)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Problem solving skills
- Analytical skills
- Team working
- Creative
- Initiative
- Patience
- Physical fitness
- Positive attitude
- Passionate
- Polite and friendly
Other requirements
Driving licence desirable.
About this employer
We are a local gardening firm based in Rochdale providing gardening services to residential and commercial customers in Greater Manchester. We take pride in our skilled and experienced gardening teams, who pay great attention to detail and care when looking after your gardens.
After this apprenticeship
The employer is looking to offer the apprentice a full-time position on a successful completion of the apprenticeship with opportunities to continue developing their horticulture skills.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
THE OLDHAM COLLEGE
Andrea Kearns
andrea.kearns@oldham.ac.uk
0161 785 4072
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000347870.
Apply now
Closes in 12 days (Friday 7 November 2025 at 11:59pm)
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