Horticulture or landscape construction operative
Level 2 · IntermediateAgriculture, environmental and animal care 2 yr typical
About this apprenticeship
What it involves
The Horticulture or Landscape Construction Operative apprenticeship at Level 2 gives you the practical skills to plant, maintain, and construct outdoor green spaces - from gardens and parks to roadside landscapes and commercial grounds. You will use hand tools and machinery to plant up schemes, lay hard landscaping, and carry out routine grounds maintenance tasks. It is an ideal entry point into a rewarding outdoor career with landscape contractors, local authorities, and garden centres.
On the job
What you’ll learn
Plant identification, planting techniques, and aftercare
Soil preparation, cultivation, and mulching
Safe use of hand tools, mowers, and small horticultural machinery
Hard landscaping basics - laying paths, edgings, and simple paving
Grass establishment and routine lawn maintenance
Pruning and basic hedge cutting techniques
Health and safety including COSHH for pesticide use
On the job
What you’ll do day to day
Plant trees, shrubs, perennials, and seasonal bedding schemes
Prepare soil, weed, and mulch planting beds
Mow lawns and maintain grass areas to required standards
Prune shrubs and cut hedges to shape
Lay basic hard landscaping such as gravel paths and edgings
Operate and carry out basic maintenance on horticultural machinery
Collect and dispose of garden waste safely and sustainably
The deal
How this apprenticeship works
You earn a wage from day one. You are a paid employee, not a student. There are no tuition fees - the training is funded by your employer and the government.
About 20% is “off-the-job” training. Roughly a day a week is spent learning away from your normal duties - at a college, training provider, or online - working towards a recognised qualification.
It ends with an end-point assessment (EPA). Near the end, an independent assessor checks you can do the job to the national standard - through tests, a project, a portfolio or an interview. Pass it and you are fully qualified.
How to get there
What you need to start
Level 2 (Intermediate) - roughly GCSE level. Often open with few or no formal qualifications - a strong first step. Some employers ask for a couple of GCSEs.
What’s next: Typically leads on to a Level 3 (Advanced) apprenticeship.
Entry requirements are set by each employer and can vary - always check the specific vacancy.
Hear from employers
What it’s really like
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