Horticultural Operative Apprenticeship (Level 2)

 

 

  • Learn how to care for and maintain our wide range of plant collections
  • Develop new skills through hands on learning and college studies 
 
Available at all 5 RHS gardens

View the Level 2 factsheet

Entry Requirements

  • No previous horticultural experience or qualifications are required
  • You must have the right to work in England to apply for any apprenticeship*
  • Applicants should be able to demonstrate a passion for plants, gardening, horticulture and working outdoors
  • Applicants must have the ability to grasp information and apply recently gained knowledge, and must have a reasonable standard of IT literacy (use email, Microsoft Word to create documents and the internet to research information)
  • It is desirable to have GCSE grades A* to C or 9 - 4 in English and Maths. If you do not have English and/or Maths GCSE qualifications (or equivalents), you will be required to complete Functional Skills at college as part of your apprenticeship
Please note: If you already hold all or part of a Level 2 horticultural qualification (at Certificate or Diploma level) or have more than 12 months practical experience in the industry you are not eligible for the Level 2 apprenticeship due to government funding rules.

*Additionally, to qualify for apprenticeship funding, UK nationals and those with the right to abode must have been resident in the UK for at least three years prior to the start of the apprenticeship. For further information, please contact us by email on [email protected].

Working in the garden

Spend two years working with experienced horticulturists in our prestigious RHS gardens to get a real understanding of the variety of skills involved in maintaining our gardens so they look their best for our visitors all year round.
 
There is nothing like getting your hands dirty to grow your knowledge and confidence.

“I enjoyed working in a beautiful garden, feeling closer to nature, and learning practical skills from experienced colleagues. Having trained at the RHS will open many doors for me and I am extremely grateful for this. My cohort of apprentices are fantastic, and I feel very grateful to know that I will have future contacts in many areas of the industry.”

College Studies

Learn the skills and techniques to undertake practical work in the garden across a range of garden types and styles.
 
Learn how to create and develop horticultural spaces. This includes both the soft landscaping (plants and soil maintenance) and the hard landscaping (surfaces, features and structures).
 
For more details of the Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours you will complete during the apprenticeship please visit the Institute for Apprenticeships website.

After your apprenticeship

Successfully achieving this Apprenticeship will give you the opportunity to:

“I am leaving (the apprenticeship) feeling far more confident as a gardener and ready to step into the wider horticulture world”

Contact us
For more information or if you have a question, please get in touch with the RHS Apprenticeships team. 


E-mail:
[email protected]
 

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The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.