Tree and Greenspaces Apprentice
Gloucestershire County Council
Gloucestershire (GL1 2TG)
Closes in 15 days (Monday 8 December 2025)
Posted on 21 November 2025
Contents
Summary
Working to undertake tree planting, maintenance, and landscape activities, including monitoring the health of sites within your defined geographical area, in accordance with industry standards. You will be enthusiastic, enjoy working outdoors and have an interest in nature, biodiversity and impacts on the environment.
- Wage
-
£15,580 a year
- Training course
- Arborist (level 2)
- Hours
-
Occasional out-of-hours work for attendance at engagement
events and meetings (face-to-face and/ or virtual) may also be
required.
37 hours a week
- Start date
-
Sunday 1 March 2026
- 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
To work with a range of internal and external stakeholders
including Gloucestershire Local Nature Partnership (GLNP).
• Planting of trees (various sizes: whips, feathers, standards,
rootball, containerised), shrubs, seeds, bulbs, flowers and
grasses.
• Pruning of trees and shrubs
• Weeding, removal of weeds from flower beds and other
planted areas.
• Maintaining, water plants / trees, tidy, overgrown shrubs and
trees, clear paths
• Pest Control, identify and manage pests that damage plants.
• Monitoring the health of all plants and greenspaces.
• Support and lead groups on community planting events.
• Formative pruning of young trees.
• Comply with current Health and Safety Regulations
• Regularly support colleagues maintain and repair equipment in
accordance with manufacturer’s instructions, and current policies
and procedures
Where you'll work
Shire Hall
Westgate Street
Gloucester
Gloucestershire
GL1 2TG
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
WARWICKSHIRE COLLEGE
Training course
Arborist (level 2)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Recognise health and safety needs onsite and work safely
- Complete site-specific risk assessments and emergency action plans
- Select appropriate equipment for tree work operations
- Set out workplace signage (highway & non highway) and assists with traffic control
- Process tree work arisings using appropriate machinery
- Maintain and take appropriate care of tools, equipment and other onsite factors (such as customer or public buildings etc.)
- Recognise a variety of tree species using common names
- Carry out a range of formative pruning operations
- Carry out branch removal up to 200mm diameter with hand tools (target pruning for final cut).
- Fell and process small trees up to 380mm diameter.
- Support aerial tree workers with transfer of equipment for aerial tree work operations
- Perform an aerial rescue of colleague from a rope and harness
- Work safely at height in the tree under supervision
- Communicate technical information about arboricultural operations to fellow team members, clients and other stakeholders as required.
- Recognise health and safety needs onsite and work safely
- Complete site-specific risk assessments and emergency action plans
- Select appropriate equipment for tree work operations
- Set out workplace signage (highway & non highway) and assists with traffic control
- Process tree work arisings using appropriate machinery
- Maintain and take appropriate care of tools, equipment and other onsite factors (such as customer or public buildings etc.)
- Recognise a variety of tree species using common names
- Carry out a range of formative pruning operations
- Carry out branch removal up to 200mm diameter with hand tools (target pruning for final cut).
- Fell and process small trees up to 380mm diameter.
- Support aerial tree workers with transfer of equipment for aerial tree work operations
- Perform an aerial rescue of colleague from a rope and harness
- Work safely at height in the tree under supervision
- Communicate technical information about arboricultural operations to fellow team members, clients and other stakeholders as required.
Training schedule
The apprenticeship is delivered in partnership with Warwickshire
College at their Pershore campus, where there will be a need to
travel for study days.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 4)
- Mathematics (grade 4)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Attention to detail
- Presentation skills
- Team working
- Physical fitness
- Outdoor Working
- Time Management
Other requirements
Occasional out-of-hours work for attendance at engagement events and meetings (face-to-face and/ or virtual) may also be required. • No current driving licence required for the apprenticeship duration; however, should you wish to move into an operative role, a full UK driving licence is required for the role. • The apprenticeship is delivered in partnership with Warwickshire College at their Pershore campus, where there will be a need to travel for study days. Already hold an Emergency First Aid Certificate or are willing to undertake this training.
About this employer
Gloucestershire County Council is a county council which administers the most strategic local government services in the non-metropolitan county of Gloucestershire, in the South West of England.
https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/ (opens in new tab)
Disability Confident
A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.
You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.
After this apprenticeship
The ability to move into an Operative position within our Trees & Greenspace department.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
WARWICKSHIRE COLLEGE
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000001552.
Apply now
Closes in 15 days (Monday 8 December 2025)
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