Horticulture Apprentice

2 Year Contract
£7.50 per hour in the first year
40 hours per week
30 days annual leave per year (including bank holidays) plus an additional day off for your birthday
As an Eden Project Apprentice you will spend on average 6 hours a week studying a taught element delivered by one of our partner training providers. Each month you will also take part in our Sustainable Enterprise programme which helps you develop a range of skills, from teamwork to communication, alongside fellow apprentices from a range of disciplines. There are also opportunities to gain experience working with a variety of other teams, to get a fuller understanding of how your department fits within the larger organisation and how your role contributes to our mission.
If you do not have your own transport available you should consider how you will travel to work, as Eden is in a rural location and public transport is not always available.

Role Purpose
To provide horticultural and landscaping support across Eden, whilst being provided with on-the-job training
The role will involve working in all horticultural areas at Eden, including the Rainforest biome, Mediterranean Biome, 30-acre Outdoor Garden, Eden’s bespoke plant growing nursery, Eden’s 200-acre estate and grounds, and occasionally with hard landscaping and horticultural technical support teams.

Key Accountabilities
1. To support the horticultural team in pruning, planting, seed sowing, watering, weeding and all plant care. along with habitat management

2. To assist with the creation and maintenance hard and soft landscaping - such as hedgerows, walling, fencing, pathways and bridleways.

3. To have shared responsibility for use, care and maintenance of tools and machinery used in horticultural tasks including equipment for grass and hedge cutting, strimming, planting, pruning, and the use of golf buggies.

4. To continuously and enthusiastically strive to increase your own horticultural knowledge - including plant care and knowledge and plant identification, pests and diseases, soil management, sustainable practices, garden management and design and efficient working practices.

Demands of the Role
Education & qualifications
There are no formal qualifications required for this position; however, the job holder will be required to have a good level of literacy and numeracy.
Knowledge & skills
The job holder will be expected to have a basic level understanding of plants and the natural world and a thirst to learn more.
An interest and love for horticulture and desire to embark on a career in horticulture is essential.
The job holder will be required to have an intermediate level of IT skill.
Decision
- making
Decisions will be low level and routine in nature, with mínimal business impact. Any complex or difficult decision making will be guided and supported by the mentorship of a senior team member.
Resourcefulness
Collaborates with colleagues and senior staff to devise innovative and creative ways to improve horticultural efficiency.
People & asset management
There are no people management responsibilities in this role.
Communication & visitor experience
The job holder is required to engage, communicate and interact with colleagues, horticulturalists from other gardens and members of the public and both verbally and in writing.
Operational environment
The role requires physical effort daily such as bending, lifting and carrying, digging, working on slopes and in cold, hot or inclement weather.