Vineyard Apprentice
VINEYARD FARMS LIMITED
GRAVESEND (DA13 0XE)
Closes in 15 days (Wednesday 30 September 2026 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 14 September 2026
Contents
Summary
This is an amazing opportunity to join a dedicated organisation with a passion for sustainability and organic techniques. Vineyard Farms (MDCV) have history of producing award-winning Provence Rosé and English Sparkling Wines. This is a chance to join a fast growing UK industry. You will learn a variety of skills related to vineyards.
- Wage
-
£30,000 a year
Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Apprentice's will be eligible to earn up to 10% of their basic annually based on KPI's met.
- Training course
- Crop technician (level 3)
- Hours
-
Monday to Friday with one hour lunch break.
40 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 19 October 2026
- 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
The apprentice will learn all elements of Vineyard Management and Vine care. Supporting the Vineyard Manager with projects, planning and execution of the plan.
Day to day work will vary depending on the season, but will include:
- Weeding
- Hoeing
- Grinding roots
- Leaf stripping
- Bud rubbing
- Grape picking/ harvesting in late summer/ autumn
- Tying down
- Strimming
- Trellising
- Supporting the Vineyard Manager with projects, planning and execution of the plan
- Disease control and identification
- Crop walks to identify issues and building a plan to combat them
Where you'll work
COURT LODGE
LUDDESDOWN ROAD
LUDDESDOWN
GRAVESEND
DA13 0XE
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
PLUMPTON COLLEGE
Training course
Crop technician (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Identify and mitigate risks to promote and maintain health, safety and security. (Core)
- Manage accurate paper or digital records within the workplace. (Core)
- Maintain and operate machinery and equipment in accordance with manufacturer operating instructions. (Core)
- Maximise economic sustainability by optimising plant growth when carrying out operations. (Core)
- Establish crops to ensure efficient and sustainable growth. (Core)
- Operate vehicles in accordance with manufacturer operating instructions. (Core)
- Control pests, weeds and diseases using integrated pest management. (Core)
- Apply and store pest management treatments in accordance with standard operating procedures, legislation and regulations. (Core)
- Carry out plant nutrient application or irrigation tasks required by the crop. (Core)
- Carry out harvesting and dispatch operations. (Core)
- Assess and monitor crops for quality, performance and specification requirements. (Core)
- Select harvesting techniques taking account of crop condition and quality requirements. (Core)
- Maintain biosecurity and hygiene practices in line with legislation, regulations and organisational requirements. (Core)
- Keep harvested crops in suitable conditions to maintain quality. (Core)
- Maintain soils or substrates to ensure sustainable, efficient and healthy growth. (Core)
- Sample and evaluate soil or substrate health to determine nutrition requirements. (Core)
- Comply with health and safety legislation, regulations, guidelines and procedures relevant to own role. (Core)
- Participate in learning and CPD activities. (Core)
- Manage own time to achieve tasks to schedule. (Core)
- Consider different approaches to current working practices, identifying improvements, developments and innovative ideas. (Core)
- Set and monitor machinery performance to ensure good seed or plant establishment and crop growth. (Soil based)
- Set machinery and equipment taking into account the crop, environment, soil condition and specification requirements. (Soil based)
- Maintain non-productive areas. (Soil based)
- Assess the impact of machinery on soil structure and identify potential damage in accordance with legislation. (Soil based)
- Optimise growth conditions for crops, based on the specific needs of the plant relative to the environment. (Container based)
- Maintain productive and non-productive areas. (Container based)
- Plan for and carry out the removal of waste materials following harvest or dispatch. (Container based)
- Evaluate and select different growing mediums taking into account site conditions and production requirements. (Container based)
- Identify and mitigate risks to promote and maintain health, safety and security. (Core)
- Manage accurate paper or digital records within the workplace. (Core)
- Maintain and operate machinery and equipment in accordance with manufacturer operating instructions. (Core)
- Maximise economic sustainability by optimising plant growth when carrying out operations. (Core)
- Establish crops to ensure efficient and sustainable growth. (Core)
- Operate vehicles in accordance with manufacturer operating instructions. (Core)
- Control pests, weeds and diseases using integrated pest management. (Core)
- Apply and store pest management treatments in accordance with standard operating procedures, legislation and regulations. (Core)
- Carry out plant nutrient application or irrigation tasks required by the crop. (Core)
- Carry out harvesting and dispatch operations. (Core)
- Assess and monitor crops for quality, performance and specification requirements. (Core)
- Select harvesting techniques taking account of crop condition and quality requirements. (Core)
- Maintain biosecurity and hygiene practices in line with legislation, regulations and organisational requirements. (Core)
- Keep harvested crops in suitable conditions to maintain quality. (Core)
- Maintain soils or substrates to ensure sustainable, efficient and healthy growth. (Core)
- Sample and evaluate soil or substrate health to determine nutrition requirements. (Core)
- Comply with health and safety legislation, regulations, guidelines and procedures relevant to own role. (Core)
- Participate in learning and CPD activities. (Core)
- Manage own time to achieve tasks to schedule. (Core)
- Consider different approaches to current working practices, identifying improvements, developments and innovative ideas. (Core)
Training schedule
Training will occur in 10 weekly blocks of teaching split between the Plumpton College and the college’s Rock Lodge Vineyard.
The course attended shall be for a full 5 day a week, class sessions over 5 separate weeks, and equates to attending for 5 days in a row once every 2 months.
The course with be conducted at Plumpton College.
Requirements
Desirable qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 4)
- Maths (grade 4)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Organisation skills
- Problem solving skills
- Number skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Initiative
- Patience
- Physical fitness
Other requirements
As we are a rural location, we recommend having your own transport. You will be working in all weather conditions and open to the elements.
About this employer
Vineyard Farms has a long history of producing award-winning Provence Rosé and English Sparkling Wines. We have a passion for sustainability and manage all our vineyards organically, while also employing pioneering techniques to minimise our impact on the environment, such as composting organic waste, harvesting rainwater and heating our sites using natural sources, such as ground source heat pumps. We are the single biggest organic vineyard in the UK with Vineyards In Luddesdown, Upper Bush, Bodiam Castle and Crouch Valley in Essex Vineyard Farms is owned by MDCV and they have a vision to bring the finest English and Provençal wines to the UK market. MDCV have a long history of producing award-winning Provence rosé and English Sparkling Wines, and with an extensive infrastructure, both in France and the UK we are able to harness the finest talent in all areas of our business, to deliver exceptional products to the UK market.
Company benefits
Perkbox and company discounts on wine and cellar door.
After this apprenticeship
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).
We have various roles that this may or may not lead to from Vineyard Manager to Technical Manager, Operations Manager, tractor Driver, Vineyard Supervisor and Crop Technician.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
PLUMPTON COLLEGE
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000053222.
Apply now
Closes in 15 days (Wednesday 30 September 2026 at 11:59pm)