Gardens (Horticulture) Apprentice

Job description

Being a horticultural apprentice is an exciting challenge, often physically demanding but hugely rewarding. You will be training within a horticultural environment, working alongside and learning from our experienced and dedicated Gardens team, developing skills and horticultural knowledge. In collaboration with CAFRE (Greenmount), we are recruiting for an Apprentice Gardener position at Hillsborough Castle and Gardens, giving you a fantastic opportunity to grow your horticultural skills whilst working in our beautiful gardens

Responsibilities

• Studying towards your apprenticeship
• Planting flower beds, shrubs, trees, and perennials
• Hedge cutting, light pruning, and trimming
• Understanding and responding to the challenges presented by climate change and sustainability.
• Identifying and recognizing a selection of basic plants.
• Learning to use a wide range of horticultural machinery.
• Ad-hoc soft landscaping , weeding, dead heading and mulching.
• Becoming familiar with the general history of Hillsborough Castle.
• Interacting with customers and visitors and helping them to get the most from their visit.
• Undertake any other relevant activities which fall under the general scope of this role as directed by the Line Manager

Skills and Qualifications

Essential Skills

• Due to the nature of the role, you must be willing to work outside in all weathers and have a suitable level of fitness in order to carry out its fundamental requirements
• You must also be able to get transport to and from Greenmount campus weekly.
• You will also need good communication skills and the ability to manage your time and workload.

Further Information

ApprenticeshipNI eligibility conditions apply. Applicants please note this position is under the auspices of ApprenticeshipNI provision. You must be 18 years old or over on 1st September 2025.  Live in UK (resident in country role is based). You must not have completed a degree or equivalent level qualification in the UK or elsewhere and not already be in full-time education. You must have a minimum of Level 1 essential skills in Maths and English