Horticulture Supervisor

Horticulture Supervisors can be employed to oversee work in public parks and gardens, green spaces and historic gardens, private gardens and estates or in production nurseries and retail outlets.

A Horticulture Supervisor can manage a site with minimum supervision, supervise a team and/or project and maintain the health and safety and security of personnel and resources.

Specialising in horticulture, this apprenticeship will focus on projects focused on plant propagation and plant growth, the establishment and maintenance of plants and cultivated areas in addition to development the supervisory skills to manage horticulture projects. 

What apprentices will learn

• Horticulture management appropriate to different sites
• Project process, planning work scheduling and requrements to meet specification
• Working to a budget
• Business operations and the impact of decisions
• Customer care
• Managing teams to deliver customer service
• Supervision; how to communicate with a team and provide work instructions
• How to manage a teams performance and provide feedback to team members and managers
• Health and safety, implement and maintain a positive safety culture with a team
• Waste hazards and waste reduction and recycling
• Plan growth and development,
• Understanding what nutrients plants need
• Knowledge of what grows well in different soils
• How to use and maintain gardening tools and equipment
• Plant removal
• Pest and disease control
• Tools, equipment and machinery
• Plant propagation methods using seed or vegetative methods
• Plant identification and classication
• Protection of biodiversity and heritage
• Assess, repair and maintain hard structures
• For more information on the skills, knowledge and behaviours associated and learnt on this apprenticeship, please download the file attached to this link: Horticulture Supervisor Level 3

Qualifications Awarded

• Apprenticeship Certificate
• 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
• Level 2 Award in the Safe Application of Pesticides using Pedestrian hand held Equipment (horticulture pathway only)
• Level 2 in maths and English (if applicable)

Delivery model

A mix of practical teaching and online theory workshops across two days a month (Tuesday and Wednesday). In college delivery will be at Plumpton College main campus and the Hortculture Centre of Excellence based at One Garden Brighton. Opportunity to attend industry masterclasses and guest speaker events will be available. 

End Point Assessment

• Professional discussion based on apprentice’s portfolio
• Online knowledge test
• Practical assessment
• Supervisory studies project

The entry requirements for all Level 3 programmes, will require either: 

• GCSE 3 or above in English (either Literature or Language) and Maths
• GCSE D or above in English (either Literature or Language) and Maths
• Level1 Functional Skills English and Maths (or equivalent qualification|) at this level or Level 2

Should you not meet the entry requirements for English and Maths, please get in contact with us. We are aware that there are many factors that may have affected your previous education and grades, so will consider these in support of the application on an individual basis.

In addition to your prior English and Maths qualifications, you will complete an initial assessment for English and Maths as part of your pre-boarding session in college. This assessment will give us a current working level grade and will indicate which level Functional Skills you will be enrolled on if you have not got a GCSE 4/C or above in English and Maths. We may contact you to discuss this grade if we have any concerns.

If you have a grade 4/C or above in GCSE English and/or Maths, you will not be required to attend Functional Skills English and/or Maths sessions as part of your Apprenticeship.

Please note: You will be required to produce your GCSE certificates BEFORE you start your course to be exempt from attending Functional Skills English and Maths sessions.

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.

You must be in a role that will allow you the opportunity to develop the necessary skills, knowledge and behaviours set out in the apprenticeship. Additionally, apprentices must have a working level of maths and English that will allow successful achievement of level 1 functional skill prior to the end point assessment.

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.