RHS Apprenticeships

A choice of apprenticeships

Two-year programmes

• Horticultural Operative Apprentices (Level 2) spend two years working alongside experienced horticulturists in our prestigious RHS Gardens. This experience gives a real understanding of the seasonal work involved in an ornamental garden. There is nothing like getting your hands dirty to grow your knowledge and confidence
• Arborist Apprentices (Level 2) spend two years working alongside experienced arboriculturists in our prestigious RHS Gardens. This experience gives a real understanding of the seasonal work involved in maintaining trees within a public garden. Arboricultural teams develop and enhance trees and the wider landscapes of RHS Gardens to delight visitors and benefit wildlife

Download the Level 2 factsheet (919kB pdf)
   

Where you can study

Horticultural Operative Apprenticeship (Level 2)

• RHS apprentices study the horticulture option for this standard, which focuses on plant propagation and plant growth
• Study is completed by block release at college and could involve travel and staying away from home
• See an overview of this role

Available to study at:

• RHS Garden Bridgewater, Greater Manchester
• RHS Garden Harlow Carr, North Yorkshire
• RHS Garden Hyde Hall, Essex
• RHS Garden Rosemoor, North Devon
• RHS Garden Wisley, Surrey

Arborist Apprenticeship (Level 2)

• Planting, felling and maintaining trees
• Study is completed by block or day release at college depending on RHS Garden location and could involve travel and staying away from home
• See an overview of this role

Available to study at:

• RHS Garden Wisley, Surrey

Working in the garden

Apprentices are paid RHS employees on a two or three-year fixed-term contract (depending on apprenticeship).

You will undertake regular rotations through various garden departments assisting RHS staff with a range of tasks in the day-to-day cultivation and maintenance of the garden. Arborist and Engineering apprentices will stay with those specialist teams throughout their apprenticeship.

This is a full-time work-based training programme (37.5 hours per week) with a working pattern of five days out of seven (including weekend and occasional evening work). This position requires you to attend college on a day release or a residential lecture block basis and could involve travel and staying away from home.

Each apprentice is assigned a Garden Manager and key contacts within each of the garden’s Curatorial / Education departments.

As an RHS apprentice you will

• Train to become a horticulturist or arborist of the future (depending on programme) by taking part in a thorough and effective apprenticeship programme
• Progress and develop in an inspiring learning environment
• Grow your practical understanding, knowledge and skills at a prestigious RHS Garden
• Increase your skills, confidence and knowledge to help you to find employment within the horticultural industry after your training has finished

Applications and entry requirements

• Applicants should demonstrate a passion for either plants, gardening or the area they have chosen to apply for
• The apprenticeships are aimed primarily at 16–19 year-olds, although are suitable for anyone looking to enter the horticultural industry
• It is desirable for you to have at least two GCSE qualifications in English/maths/science/IT (or equivalents) for the Level 2 and four GCSE qualifications for the Level 3 apprenticeships. If you do not have English and/or maths GCSE qualifications (or equivalents), you will be required to complete Functional Skills as part of your apprenticeship
• Applicants must have the ability to grasp information and apply recently gained knowledge, have a strong interest in plants, horticulture or the relevant subject for their apprenticeship and must have a reasonable standard of IT literacy (use email, Microsoft Word to create documents and the internet to research information)
• Applicants should take note if their apprenticeship takes place by block release. This method of study requires you to stay away from your home for a minimum of three and up to six working weeks per year. Accommodation, food and transport costs for study blocks at college are funded by the RHS.
• Full training for the apprenticeship is provided at the relevant RHS Garden and through the college training provider for the duration of the two or three years (as listed above). Please note, time to complete coursework is required in addition to your working hours
• You must have the right to work in England to apply for an apprenticeship. UK nationals and those with the right to abode must have been resident in the UK for at least the previous three years prior to the start of the apprenticeship to gain funding. For further information regarding funding for non-UK residents, please contact us by email on [email protected].
• Horticultural Operative Apprenticeship (Level 2): No previous horticultural experience or qualifications are required. Please note, if you already hold all or part of a Level 2 horticultural qualification (at Certificate or Diploma level)  you are not eligible for the L2 apprenticeship due to government funding rules
• Arborist Apprenticeship (Level 2): No previous arboricultural experience or qualifications are required. Please note, if you already hold all or part of a Level 2 arboricultural qualification (at Certificate or Diploma level) you are not eligible for the L2 apprenticeship due to government funding rules

 

Transport and accommodation

• Apprentices must find their own way to work, however, each garden will have flexibility in enabling access around public transport
• Accommodation is not provided for apprentices at any of the RHS Gardens

After your apprenticeship

Apprentices successfully gaining the RHS Apprenticeship certificate have the opportunity to:

• Work in the professional horticulture sector
• Study further at a land-based college
• Apply for further work-based training at RHS Gardens

Got a question?

Email our dedicated team and they’ll help you get your learning under way.

Email the team

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You might also be interested in...

• Learner stories: See what our current and past learners have to say about their training at the RHS – read the stories
• Young horticulturists: Discover more for 11 to 19-year-old gardening enthusiasts – Campaign for School Gardening
• Supporters: Our work-based training programmes are only possible with funding from our supporters – find out about our supporters