Apprentice Gardener

Job introduction

Are you passionate about horticulture, grounds maintenance and gardening?

Would you like to improve our award winning parks and further improve our other parks to a high standard?

Would like to gain formal qualifications and experience at Brighton & Hove City Council’s City Parks Department?

If so, then you have found the right place.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Gardening apprentice studying the Level 2 Horticulture Operative apprenticeship. The Department is responsible for upkeep of parks, housing, sports pitches, planting, weeding, mowing, strimming, public interaction, monitoring safety as well as the less glamourous functions like daily checks for litter and waste.

Our current apprentice Sam says:

'Doing the horticulture and landscaping apprenticeship with the council has been a good experience for me so far. My highlights have been being able to learn at college whilst also having a full time job and also meeting all of my class mates from college who are also starting out and doing the same kind of thing. It's helped me get into this industry which before I had no experience in and was struggling to get interviews for jobs. I've learnt a lot from my mentor and work colleagues too who have always been supportive and happy to help me learn about the job.'

There’s lots more information below and in the links but if you want to have an informal discussion about this opportunity, please contact Sarah Carlisle - Operations Manager by email sarah.carlisle@brighton-hove.gov.uk.

If you would like to discuss eligibility please email the Apprenticeship Team on apprenticeships@brighton-hove.gov.uk

Interviews: w/c 25/08/2025

Provisional Start Date: Sept/Oct 2025 TBC

About the role

The Intermediate Horticultural Operative Level 2 Apprenticeship is run by Plumpton College who are responsible for supporting you with your learning, online recording of evidence of competence, off the job training and carrying out assessments of competence in roles using various machines and tools etc. Your work experience will be linked to the knowledge, skills and behaviours in the apprenticeship standard and once you are competent in all these areas you will take an independently monitored End Pont Assessment before successfully completing. You will receive additional support if required, from a nominated workplace mentor, throughout the duration of the Apprenticeship.

Delivery is one day a week at Plumpton College so you would need to be able to travel to Plumpton College. Further learning will occur in the workplace.

You will gain knowledge in all areas of horticultural operations, for example, mowing, strimming, hedge trimming, planting, pruning, rotovating, site preparation, turfing, seeding and weeding. You will also learn customer service skills as well as gaining invaluable experience in the workplace in applying and putting this learning into practice. You will build and develop inclusive working relationships with colleagues, customers and other stakeholders from all diverse backgrounds. You will work within a supportive team to meet the requirements of the service. Additionally, you will learn how to assist in more advanced horticultural operations for example, pruning, planting, bedding, compaction reduction and potentially design.

You will develop a number of other skills including identifying and eradicating horticultural pests and diseases, maintaining sports pitches, identifying hazards and taking remedial action. You will also follow Health and Safety policies, procedures and risk assessments and taught how to carry out playground inspections and maintain reports to satisfactory agreed standards. You will learn how to complete pre-use checks and basic maintenance on tools, equipment, machinery and vehicles to ensure they are in good and safe working order. You will comply with Health and Safety regulations and report any defects to the Team Leader.

You will self-motivated and be able to work independently as well as part of a diverse and inclusive team.

You will be enthusiastic, creative, have a willingness to learn.

You will have a passion for horticulture and a vision to develop within the industry. The apprenticeship is an excellent opportunity to develop your career in horticulture.

Standard working hours are 7.30-3.30 (this may vary)

Although this is a fixed term position, the ongoing Apprenticeship programme has been specifically designed to train committed and dedicated individuals. There may be opportunities to be the future Operatives, Team leaders and Managers if you have the right passion, outlook and commitment and where vacancies arise.

As well as the job related experience and apprenticeship qualification, you will receive all the benefits and opportunities of being an employee of Brighton & Hove City Council, one of the City’s largest employers. As an Apprentice, you are eligible for an apprentice NUS discount card and can take advantage of the Catch the bus4work scheme and bus travel discounts with Brighton & Hove buses. See https://www.buses.co.uk/students.

The duration of the apprenticeship will be c22 months, depending on experience

NB. This may be amended should you have any applicable prior learning and your contract will end on successful completion of the apprenticeship.

Please note, your application will be shared with the training provider and you will be required to attend an information session at Plumpton College which will include an English and Maths assessment to assess level of ability to confirm eligibility prior to an offer being confirmed.
Please inform us if you have any reasonable adjustments for the interview.

Hear what our other apprentices have to say by watching this video.

Entry Requirements

Please see the Essential Criteria listed in the Person Specification section of the Job Description for the particular requirements of this role.

Please note, if you are successful at interview your application will be shared with the training provider and an informal interview and assessments will take place with them to confirm eligibility prior to an offer being confirmed.

Please declare your qualifications in the application as this may affect eligibility.

Company information

Encouraging a diverse workforce

Our city is known and loved for its diversity. Not only is the mixture of people, culture and skills vital to the economic and social development of the city, it's what makes Brighton & Hove such a great place to live, work and visit. We are committed to developing and retaining a workforce that is representative of the diverse communities we serve so we welcome applications from individuals from all backgrounds. In order to achieve our aims of proportionate representation, we particularly encourage applicants from a BME or White Other background as well as those who identify as disabled, male or trans.

Find out more about our commitment to being a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone can achieve their potential by reading about our fair and inclusive actions, our anti-racism strategy and the work we are doing to encourage a diverse workforce (brighton-hove.gov.uk).