With amazing natural landscapes and beautiful parks, we’re looking for an enthusiastic apprentice to support the Tree & Horticultural Officer, overseeing the planning, maintenance and management of trees throughout the District.
The person will work closely with the Tree & Horticultural Officer to develop a comprehensive knowledge of Health & Safety, Policies and Procedures to deliver a productive and high-quality service, whilst meeting the Council’s Corporate objectives.
This apprenticeship will enable someone who has an existing, demonstrated interest in arboriculture to develop into a fully-fledged tree specialist.
As this is an apprenticeship, you will attend Plumpton College for three consecutive days in person every other month. Please consider this when applying. There are coaches run by the college that can take you to and from Plumpton.
Hours: 37 hours per week. Monday to Friday - Flexible Working Hours.
Salary: £18,521.20 per annum
Application deadline: 28th October 2024
About the Employer
The Dover District Council area is the part of Southeast England that is nearest to mainland Europe. The area covers approximately 121 square miles and includes three main towns, Dover, Deal and Sandwich as well as dozens of picturesque villages and hamlets which make East Kent such an attractive and popular place to live and work.
What does an Arboriculturist do?
Arboriculturists conduct tree inspections and surveys, manage tree databases, and evaluate trees, focusing on common scenarios but receiving support for complex cases like ancient or culturally significant trees.
They oversee contractors, ensuring safety and work quality, and comply with tree-related legislation and approvals.
They offer advice on tree management and legal issues, manage woodlands, oversee budgets, apply for grants, prepare quotes, and handle client relationships.
What will the apprentice be doing?
While at the Council, the apprentice will learn how our stock of trees is managed through survey and works programmes, with opportunities to become involved in reviewing survey data and identifying works priorities.
The apprentice will work with the Tree and Horticultural Officer in administering Tree Protection Orders and responding to requests for works to be carried out on trees located in conservation areas, which will include frequent site visits to undertake assessments.
There will also be opportunities to accompany the Council’s in-house Grounds Maintenance team and gain practical experience of horticultural operations. Any health and safety training necessary for this practical work will be provided.
More widely the apprentice will gain experience in the public sector work environment, for example the gaining an understanding of requirements for methodical record keeping and data protection.
Training & the Training Provider: Plumpton College
The apprentice will learn skills relevant to all aspects of managing trees on publicly accessible land and the application of relevant regulations to protect significant trees. Through a combination of teaching at Plumpton College with shadowing of Dover District Council’s Tree and Horticultural Officer, the apprentice will gain a solid theoretical foundation as well as practical experience. The role is embedded within the Council’s Parks and Open Spaces service, which cares for around 500 hectares of publicly accessible land on a regular schedule, while many further hectares are managed reactively
Qualifications Awarded:
- Apprenticeship Certificate (L4 Arboriculturist)
Apprentices will learn:
- British Standards relevant to arboricultural works including 3998 (tree works) and 5837 (trees in relation to design, demolition and construction).
- Principles of tree growth, physiology, characteristics and reaction to pruning.
- The life stages of a tree including propagation techniques, aging process, deadwood habitats and veteran tree management.
- Characteristics of tree pests and pathogens, their impact on the tree health and performance, and management responses.
- Principles of soil science.
- Hazard assessment methodologies in relation to a single tree.
- Basic principles of woodland management.
- Types of tree works related to tree form, function, and client expectation, their specification and implications for tree health, safety and aesthetics.
- Classification of trees and their taxonomy; application of nomenclature (including cultivars where appropriate) per scientific convention.
- Implications of legislation and industry best practice guidance when undertaking tree work operations and their impact on team management, policy and process for example H&S Act, specialist training requirements, Working at Height, LOLER, PUWER, AFAG, COSSH.
- Considerations when planting trees including planting systems, site factors, species selection, protection, aftercare and British Standard 8545.
- Tree bracing styles, systems and uses.
- Tree inventory systems and their uses.
- Types of advanced diagnostic systems and their purpose in assessment of tree risk.
- The legal framework around trees including statutory protection for trees and penalties associated with breaches of legislation and regulations.
- Health and Safety legislation and regulations; principles related to work placed risk assessment and management, including method statements.
- Conflicts between trees and the built environment including damage (direct or indirect) to infrastructure and subsidence.
- Benefits of trees (for example climate change adaptation, carbon sequestration, human health and wellbeing) and how these could influence management decisions.
- Tree valuation systems, methodologies and their purposes.
- The role of an arboriculturist and how this occupation collaborates with other professions for example engineers, land managers, ecologists, landscape architects and planners.
- The principles for resilient tree populations and the application of biosecurity.
- The characteristics of ancient trees, veteran trees and trees of historical or cultural significance.
- Sources of information on funding schemes for tree planting and management
- Project Management principles including working within budget, systems and processes.
- Contractual terms and processes for example the role of the client brief, the fee proposal, the scope and the instruction.
- Tendering, procurement processes and scoring systems.
- Principles and use of different communication tools.
- Principles of customer service including confidentiality, data management, complaints and use of social media.
- Principles of sales and marketing both direct service promotion and indirect industry promotion.
- Roles of different stakeholders for example client, public, councillors in management of trees and techniques for engaging with the community.
- Staff and team management principles including motivation, performance and work quality.
- Principles of equality, safeguarding and diversity.
- Principles of managing and supporting meetings.
- Sources of information and techniques to research, collate and analyse arboricultural information and data.
- The purpose and function of tree management plans and strategies and their implications for tree management.
- Methods for establishing and monitoring quality standards for tree work operations.
- Methodologies, techniques and tools for inspection and measurement of trees.
Essential Criteria for the role:
- Level 3 Arboriculture qualification or Level 2 qualification with considerable experience within the industry
- Maths and English GCSEs or equivalent to grade 4/C and above.
- Communication skills
- IT skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Presentation skills
- Administrative skills
- Number skills
- Analytical skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Initiative
- Non judgemental
- Patience
- Physical fitness
Things to consider
- This role will require you to be able to drive to and from location, having your own transportation is essential. The role will involve travel to Plumpton College every other month for up to 3 days. Please consider travel time or time away if overnight accommodation is considered
- The interview process will contain a job role and experience suitability assessment.
