Arboriculturist Level 4 Apprenticeship

Course overview

Duration
Typically 30 months (some apprentices could complete sooner
depending on their previous experience and qualifications, their perfomance
during the apprenticeship and the opportunity to develop their skills and
knowledge in the workplace) practical period with 3-month End Point Assessment
window.

Course Overview
This role is found in arboriculture, utility, facilities
management, and grounds maintenance sectors, including local authorities,
consultancies, commercial firms, and charities. Arboriculturists conduct tree
inspections and surveys, manage tree databases, and evaluate trees, focusing on
common scenarios but receiving support for complex cases like ancient or
culturally significant trees. They oversee contractors, ensuring safety and work
quality, and comply with tree-related legislation and approvals. They offer
advice on tree management and legal issues, manage woodlands, oversee budgets,
apply for grants, prepare quotes, and handle client relationships. Daily
interactions include working with colleagues, the public, clients, landowners,
legal and insurance professionals, and infrastructure managers such as utility
and transportation companies.

An employee in this occupation will be responsible for:

• Assessing tree health and risk


• Managing contractors


• Dealing with complaints


• Understanding and applying law relating to trees


• Planning and prioritising survey requirements to ensure work delivery and
  discharge of legal Duty of Care and to prepare and assess planning
  applications


• Complying with legislation and regulation regarding trees, woodlands and
  forests to include tree preservation orders, conservation zones, felling
  licenses and other designations.

What apprentices will learn

• British Standards relevant to arboricultural works including 3998 (tree
  works) and 5837 (trees in relation to design, demolition and
  construction).


• Principles of tree growth, physiology, characteristics and reaction to
  pruning.


• The life stages of a tree including propagation techniques, aging process,
  deadwood habitats and veteran tree management.


• Characteristics of tree pests and pathogens, their impact on the tree
  health and performance, and management responses.


• Principles of soil science.


• Hazard assessment methodologies in relation to a single tree.


• Basic principles of woodland management.


• Types of tree works related to tree form, function, and client
  expectation, their specification and implications for tree health, safety and
  aesthetics.


• Classification of trees and their taxonomy; application of nomenclature
  (including cultivars where appropriate) per scientific convention.


• Implications of legislation and industry best practice guidance when
  undertaking tree work operations and their impact on team management, policy
  and process for example H&S Act, specialist training requirements, Working
  at Height, LOLER, PUWER, AFAG, COSSH.


• Considerations when planting trees including planting systems, site
  factors, species selection, protection, aftercare and British Standard
  8545.


• Tree bracing styles, systems and uses.


• Tree inventory systems and their uses.


• Types of advanced diagnostic systems and their purpose in assessment of
  tree risk.


• The legal framework around trees including statutory protection for trees
  and penalties associated with breaches of legislation and regulations.


• Health and Safety legislation and regulations; principles related to work
  placed risk assessment and management, including method statements.


• Conflicts between trees and the built environment including damage (direct
  or indirect) to infrastructure and subsidence.


• Benefits of trees (for example climate change adaptation, carbon
  sequestration, human health and wellbeing) and how these could influence
  management decisions.


• Tree valuation systems, methodologies and their purposes.


• The role of an arboriculturist and how this occupation collaborates with
  other professions for example engineers, land managers, ecologists, landscape
  architects and planners.


• The principles for resilient tree populations and the application of
  biosecurity.


• The characteristics of ancient trees, veteran trees and trees of
  historical or cultural significance.


• Sources of information on funding schemes for tree planting and
  management


• Project Management principles including working within budget, systems and
  processes.


• Contractual terms and processes for example the role of the client brief,
  the fee proposal, the scope and the instruction.


• Tendering, procurement processes and scoring systems.


• Principles and use of different communication tools.


• Principles of customer service including confidentiality, data management,
  complaints and use of social media.


• Principles of sales and marketing both direct service promotion and
  indirect industry promotion.


• Roles of different stakeholders for example client, public, councillors in
  management of trees and techniques for engaging with the community.


• Staff and team management principles including motivation, performance and
  work quality.


• Principles of equality, safeguarding and diversity.


• Principles of managing and supporting meetings.


• Sources of information and techniques to research, collate and analyse
  arboricultural information and data.


• The purpose and function of tree management plans and strategies and their
  implications for tree management.


• Methods for establishing and monitoring quality standards for tree work
  operations.


• Methodologies, techniques and tools for inspection and measurement of
  trees


• For more information on the skills, knowledge and behaviours associated
  and learnt on this apprenticeship, please download the file attached to this
  link: Arboriculturist Level 4

Delivery Model
Delivery will be conducted with a mixture of block delivery
on college campus, virtual sessions and a number of site visits, seminars and
guest lectures.

Entry Requirements

Maths and English assessment

For all apprentices aged 18 or under at time of enrolment, who are unable to
evidence previous English or maths GCSE (or equivalent) at grade 4/C will be
required to attend Functional Skills classes and achieve the necessary level to
complete their apprenticeship.

For all apprentices aged 19 and over at time of enrolment, Functional Skills
is an optional component of your apprenticeship programme. As a college, we
support the progression of all our apprentices and provide the opportunity to
undertake Functional Skills English and/or maths as part of your apprenticeship
qualification. Throughout your pre-enrolment, you and your employer will have
the opportunity to discuss this in more detail to help facilitate your
decision.

Job role and experience suitability assessment

Apprentices must be employed in a role with duties that will allow the
development of the necessary skills, knowledge and behaviours. To qualify for
apprenticeship funding the apprentice must develop significant new skills and
knowledge on the programme.

Desired previous Level 3 Arboriculture qualification or conserable experience
within the industry

To enrol onto an apprenticeship programme you need to be employed with a
contract of employment. If you have an employer lined up or are already employed
please contact our Business Services team on 01273 892127 or via email.

If you do not currently have an employer please visit the main
Apprenticeships page for guidance on how to find and apply for an apprenticeship
opportunity or register for our Talent Bank service.

If you are an employer and would like to recruit or enrol an existing
employee onto an apprenticeship please contact our Business Services team
on  01273 892127 or via email.