Apprentice Groundskeeper

Aspects Beauty Company Limited are looking for an Apprentice Groundskeeper to work at our beautiful grounds in South Chailey with day release to college.

Balneath Manor is a Grade 2 Listed Manor House with walled gardens, in the heart of the Sussex countryside, surrounded by fields, woodlands and beautiful grounds - This will be your place of work

As an Apprentice Groundskeeper you will maintain the grounds to a professional standard, including the maintenance of hedges, lawns, flower beds, shrubberies, copses, woods and paddocks, fencing and outbuildings.

Rewilding is a big part of what we focus on here at Aspects and this is something you could become a part of within this role. Were focused on letting nature take care of itself through rewilding; enabling natural processes to shape the land around us, repair damaged ecosystems and restore degraded landscapes. Through rewilding, wildlife’s natural rhythms create wilder, more biodiverse habitats.

Rewilding is just one of the skills you can put into practice through this apprenticeship,

**Hours**: 37.5 per week.

As this is an apprenticeship role, you will come to college for training. Please consider how you will commute to and from Plumpton College.

Due to the nature of the work, own transport is advisable.

**Application deadline**: 18th March 2024
- **About us**_

Founded in 1989, Aspects Beauty is a distribution and brand management company in the UK and Ireland. We work with global, niche and beauty brands and offer fully integrated and comprehensive marketing support. From the very beginning, we’ve had three guiding principles: Do it well, think differently, lead the way. We put beautiful brands in the right hands and strive to create optimum success. We build, nurture, and protect through seamless in store execution, bespoke marketing campaigns and unrivalled attention to detail.
- **What will the apprentice be doing?**_

You would undertake a variety of tasks, however you main duties would include:

- Maintaining the grounds (Balneath Manor, Balneath House, Balneath Manor Cottage, Balneath Manor Farm, Balneath Manor West) to a professional standard, including the maintenance of hedges, lawns, flower beds, shrubberies, copses, woods and paddocks, fencing and outbuildings.
- Carrying out strimming, mowing, weeding, seasonal clearance of fallen leaves and removal of any fallen branches.
- Planting, seeding, pruning, propagating and thining garden plants, shrubs and trees.
- Maintaining ponds and pools, including the removal of algae, cutting back of water plants and cleaning and maintenance of fountains and other air filtration equipment.
- Assisting with the clearance of office rubbish and recycling and carry out snow clearing duties.
- Assisting with the moving and carrying of furniture and heavy objects, as well as occasional small office maintenance duties.
- **What training will the apprentice take and what qualification will the apprentice get at the end?**_

Level 2 Horticulture operative apprenticeship, including:

- Emergency first aid: Level 3 award in emergency first aid at work.
- Pesticides: Level 2 Principles of Safe Handling and Application of Pesticides Guidance OR Level 2 Award in the Safe Use of Pesticides
- English and maths: Apprentices without level 2 English and maths must achieve level 1 and take the test for level 2 before taking the end-point assessment.
- Training at Plumpton College will be one day per week during term time
- You will achieve an intermediate apprenticeship upon successful completion of your end point assessment
- Concepts of good environmental and sustainable good practices, including an understanding
- Environmental controls and compliance with regulations including pollution control, waste reduction, management and recycling.
- Impact of environmental conditions on plant growth and health
- Soil science including soil formation, characteristics, texture and components, biological processes and their impact on plant growth.
- Situations where special care should be taken including where heritage or environmental designations may be present.
- Methods for identifying plants and plant biology
- Main introduction routes for plant pests and diseases
- Biosecurity and phytosanitary measures
- Techniques for clearing sites and controlling weeds including identification and reasons for removal, techniques for control (including chemical) and situations for use
- Cultivate, improve and preserve soils by mechanical methods and or by hand including amelioration and mulching
- Types of turf, installation of turf and mowing of turf

**Desirable qualities**:

- An keen interest in Horticulture
- Must enjoy working outside
- A resilient approach to work. Such as the ability to be working outside even in poor weather
- Excellent time keeping ability
- Excellent communication skills
- Problem solving ability
- Detail orientated
- Working as part of a team as well as, at time; independently
- Physical fitness /