Estate Worker Apprentice

Summary

This position is a chance to help manage a wide variety of types of land and gain a huge variety of skills. You will work across several estate departments, including farm, woods and grounds, jobs will include felling, processing, strimming, mowing, fencing and monitoring wildlife. You will work alongside experienced estate staff on a daily basis.

Annual wage: £13,312 a year
Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Training course: Countryside worker (level 2)
Hours: Monday - Thursday, 7.30am - 4.30pm
40 hours a week
Possible start date: Tuesday 29 October
Duration: 1 Year 1 Month
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

This apprenticeship will equip the apprentice with the skills to work on a mixed rural enterprise:

Particular application to forestry, farming and landscaping activities
Limited application to sporting estates
Gain experience in planting, maintaining, felling, processing trees, for timber, woodfuel and amenity purposes
Strimming, vegetation management for both conservation and amenity purposes
The job may also include some work on a predominantly arable farming enterprise, potentially including pest control, harvest work, hedges and fences

Where you’ll work

Estate Office

Scawby

Brigg

DN20 9LX

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

THE SMB GROUP

Your training course

Countryside worker (level 2)

Equal to GCSE

Course contents

Manage habitats using a range of specialist techniques such as coppicing, hedge laying, river/stream bank stabilisation and establishing native plants, using appropriate tools and equipment. This could also include new and developing sustainable practices such as using natural materials to manage excessive rainfall (in constructing leaky dams and bale dams) and subsequently manage erosion and flood damage.

Construct or repair boundaries including different fencing types (such as post and rail, stock fencing), hedging (establishing a new hedge or laying an existing hedge) and dry stone walling depending on the geographic location/landscape and local natural materials.

Construct or maintain access ways, for example a path surface using aggregate, stone pitching, slabs, bark, concrete or tarmac. This will include the skills to ensure that the path surface drains properly.

Manage vegetation in a range of different situations, for example strimming pathways, using pesticides, managing trees and hedgerows, eradicating invasive species in order to conserve native flora and fauna.

Construct and /or maintain site furniture for access and interpretation. For example, bridges, gates, stiles, boardwalks, signs/waymarks or information boards using sustainable materials where possible. This will involve both following standard methods and also undertaking site specific design. For example, installing a gate on a sloping field will involve modifying the standard method, while every river or stream crossing while require a different design.

Use a range of hand tools and powered tools safely such as hammers, panel saws, levels, drills, strimmers or chainsaws, hold the relevant certification for powered equipment and undertake the routine maintenance of the tools used.

Problem solving: be resourceful in finding solutions to problems that may arise in day to day work and know when to ask a supervisor for advice.

Identify a range of British flora and fauna native to the specific local area e.g. commonly seen birds, mammals, insects, herbs, flowers, trees or fungi to determine the appropriate habitat management needed.

Undertake surveys which feed in to site management plans and work plans, for example, survey habitats and species, numbers of visitors, the condition of Rights of Way or structures/furniture.

Write a simple dynamic risk assessment and be able to use it on site. Use the risk assessment as the basis of working safely; understanding the hazards on the site and involved in the wide range of practical tasks undertaken by Countryside Workers. Know how to reduce these risks to an acceptable level for themselves, the public and colleagues through using safe working practices and wearing personal protective equipment.

Communicate effectively in a range of situations e.g. through face to face interaction, electronic communication, telephoning or presenting to members of the public, contractors, colleagues or landowners.

Your training plan

Countryside Worker Level 2 Apprenticeship Standard:

On-the-job training
Off-the-job training
Day release training to Brooksby Campus
Functional skills if necessary

More training information

The employer will provide training in the following areas-

Chainsaw felling, cross cutting and maintenance
Use of strimmer's
Health and safety and first aid
Use of knapsack sprayers

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

English (grade 2)
Maths (grade 2)

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
Team working

Other requirements

Travel to and from SMB will be over some distance and on a weekly basis. Ideally the candidate would be located near to the job role and have the means to travel to the college.

About this company

The Scawby Estate is a traditional, yet diverse, rural business encompassing farming, forestry, heritage and let property. Its farmland includes arable land, grassland, and areas run for biodiversity, while its forestry holdings comprise both productive conifers and deciduous woodland run for public amenity and biodiversity. At the estate's centre are Scawby Hall and Gardens, a family home that is open to the public.

After this apprenticeship

Employment on this estate in a farming and/or forestry capacity. Eventually, they could rise to be a foreman, or with additional qualifications, a farm or forestry manager
While the company would hope to hire a candidate who could stay with it and progress, these skills would be applicable to work on a variety of rural estates.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

THE SMB GROUP

Apprenticeship Department

apprenticeships@smbgroup.ac.uk

01530836136

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000279140.

Apply now

Closes in 16 days (Tuesday 15 October at 11:59pm)

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