Apprentice Gardener - Balliol College University of Oxford

BALLIOL COLLEGE OXFORD

Oxford, OX1 3BJ

Closes in 20 days (Wednesday 27 November at 11:59pm)

Posted on 4 November 2024

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Summary

An excellent opportunity for an apprentice gardener to support us to maintain and develop garden spaces across our Balliol College sites. You'll work with skilled and experienced gardeners to develop your career in horticulture. If you're passionate about a gardening career, and able to engage with students, Fellows and visitors, then apply now!

Annual wage
£18,000 a year

Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Training course
Horticulture or landscape construction operative (level 2)
Hours
Monday- Friday 8.00am- 4.30pm

37 hours a week

Possible start date

Monday 13 January

Duration

1 year 6 months

Positions available

1

Work

As an apprentice, you’ll work at a company and get hands-on experience. You’ll gain new skills and work alongside experienced staff.

What you’ll do at work

We are looking for an apprentice gardener to help a small team maintain and develop garden spaces across several sites for Balliol College, including Broad Street, Holywell Manor and the newer residences of Jowett Walk and Master’s Field.  
 
The team aims to provide a tranquil space for the well-being of students, Fellows and visitors. We aim to develop the plants displays for an extended season of visual interest, and for the benefit of pollinators. 
 
You’ll work with skilled and experienced gardeners to develop your career in horticulture. We will need you to help with regular grounds maintenance at all sites.  
 
Under supervision, you will learn the following:

  • Mechanical weed control
  • Border maintenance
  • Sweeping leaves and litter collection

You'll learn the safe use of: 

  • Pedestrian rotary mowers
  • Battery-powered blowers
  • Hedge trimmers
  • Other powered hand tools
  • Ladders (Working at height training)  

 
As you gain experience, you will learn more about plant husbandry and detailed border maintenance, including irrigations, staking, deadheading, pruning and identification of pests and diseases.  
 
There will be opportunities to use the glasshouse to sow seed and grow-on a mixture of hardy and tender plants for displays, as well as develop your plant identification skills. 

Where you’ll work

Broad Street

Oxford

OX1 3BJ

Training

An apprenticeship includes regular training with a college or other training organisation. At least 20% of your working hours will be spent training or studying.

College or training organisation

ABINGDON AND WITNEY COLLEGE

Your training course

Horticulture or landscape construction operative (level 2)

Equal to GCSE

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.

    • Your training plan

    Duration:

    • 15 months practical training period, plus 3 months for End Point Assessment

    Delivery model:

    • Work-based training with your employer
    • Approximately 12 on-site assessment visits per year
    • 14 days college attendance to complete Horticulture Principles and Practice course
    • 1 day college attendance to complete Level 3 Award in Emergency First Aid course
    • 2 days college attendance to complete Level 2 PA1 Pesticides course (theory)
    • 2 days college attendance to complete Level 2 PA6 Pesticides course (practical)
    • Level 1 Functional Skills in maths and English (7 days at college for each, if required)
    • Off the job training will count for at least 6 hours a week of an apprentice’s time at work

    Qualifications included:

    • Level 1 Functional Skills in English and maths
    • Level 3 Award in Emergency First Aid
    • Level 2 PA1/PA6 Pesticides
    • Level 2 Horticulture Operative Apprenticeship

    End Point Assessment:

    • Knowledge test
    • Practical assessment
    • Professional discussion

    Requirements

    Desirable qualifications

    GCSE or equivalent in:

    • Maths (grade 4/C)
    • English (grade 4/C)

    Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

    Skills

    • Communication skills
    • Attention to detail
    • Problem solving skills
    • Team working
    • Initiative
    • Patience
    • Physical fitness

    Other requirements

    The Role is located in Central Oxford and training is delivered at Abingdon & Witney College at both our Common Leys Farm Campus in Hailey, Near Witney and also at Abingdon Campus for some elements. Please consider how you will travel to these. Any new person applying for apprenticeship roles where Abingdon and Witney College deliver the training will be required to complete a series of initial assessments (required prior to any apprenticeship offer), completion of essential paperwork. As a new Apprenticeship applicant, you will only have to undergo this process once. If you would like to talk to us about the assessments, please call us on 01235 216216. Qualification checks: By applying for this vacancy, you are giving Abingdon and Witney College permission to undertake a Learner Record Service check on your previous qualifications. We make every effort to ensure that applicants from non-traditional academic backgrounds or those who may not have the formal GCSE entry requirements can access apprenticeships where possible.

    About this company

    Balliol College is a thriving academic community in the heart of Oxford. It exists to advance education at both undergraduate and graduate levels, to facilitate and to encourage scholarship and research at the very highest levels, and to promote excellence in learning, as one of the colleges within the University of Oxford. Founded in 1263, Balliol is one of Oxford’s oldest colleges; the oldest academic institution in the English-speaking world still on its original site; and almost certainly the oldest co-founded by a woman anywhere. It is also one of Oxford’s largest colleges. Led by the Master, the community consists of about 80 Fellows. Many of these are Tutorial Fellows who, with the College Lecturers, teach around 370 undergraduate students; about the same number of students read for graduate degrees. There are also about 180 non-academic staff. The College is run by those Fellows who form its Governing Body, through a system of committees composed of Fellows, students and staff. Beyond the College walls, but also part of the Balliol community, are its Honorary Fellows and Emeritus Fellows, and the 8,000 or so Balliol alumni.

    https://www.balliol.ox.ac.uk/about-balliol (opens in new tab)

    After this apprenticeship

    • After completion of your apprenticeship, you will be equipped to apply for gardening roles as they arise

    Ask a question

    The contact for this apprenticeship is:

    ABINGDON AND WITNEY COLLEGE

    Jane Phipps

    apprenticeships@abingdon-witney.ac.uk

    01235216216

    The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000285180.

    Apply now

    Closes in 20 days (Wednesday 27 November at 11:59pm)

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