Apprentice Gardener

Apprentice Gardener – Grow Your Career from the Ground Up

Love being outdoors? Got a passion for plants and a dream of turning green spaces into something beautiful? Join Peabody’s Environmental Services Team as an Apprentice Gardener and kickstart your career in horticulture—learning on the job, gaining qualifications, and making a real difference in our communities.

You’ll be based at our Hailey Road depot in Thamesmead, working in stunning landscaped grounds while studying one day a week at college. By the end of the apprenticeship, you’ll be a skilled gardener with hands-on experience and a solid foundation to grow into roles in park management, landscaping, or even garden design.

What you’ll do

• Get stuck into real gardening work—planting, pruning, mowing, and maintaining beautiful green spaces
• Learn how to care for shrubs, trees, and bedding plants
• Help with litter picking, moss removal, and soft landscaping
• Work in all weathers and be part of a friendly, supportive team
• Follow health and safety procedures and represent Peabody with pride

What you’ll learn

• Horticulture and Landscape Operative training
• RHS Level 2 certificates in Horticulture
• Safe use of mowers and pesticide application (PA1, PA6/PA6A)
• First Aid at Work
• Functional skills in English and Maths (if needed)

What you’ll need

• A genuine passion for gardening and the outdoors
• A positive attitude, good communication skills, and a willingness to learn
• Ability to work as part of a team and represent Peabody professionally
• At least 2 GCSEs (grades 9–4), preferably in English and Maths (or equivalent)

Why Join Us?

When you join Peabody, you’re joining a team guided by our values:
Be Kind, Do the Right Thing, Love New Ideas, Celebrate Diversity, Keep Our Promises, and Pull Together.
We believe in creating a workplace where everyone feels supported, included, and empowered.

What We Offer

• A paid apprenticeship with real career prospects
• 30 days’ holiday (plus bank holidays)
• Two paid volunteering days each year
• Flexible benefits scheme and discount portal
• Life assurance at 4x your salary
• Up to 10% pension contribution

Please read before applying

This is a physically active, outdoor role based in Lewisham. You’ll be working in all weathers and attending college one day a week.
You’ll need to be enthusiastic, reliable, and ready to learn!

Are You Eligible? Read This First!

Before applying, check if you meet the apprenticeship funding requirements:

• You’ve lived in the UK, EEA, Switzerland, or Gibraltar for the last 3 years (you’ll need to show proof)
• You don’t already have a qualification at the same level or higher in this subject
• You’ll be 18 or older when the apprenticeship starts

If that sounds like you, this could be the perfect opportunity to start your career with full support and training!

If you’d love to be part of Peabody, we’d like to hear from you.
Please apply now by submitting an anonymised CV and a short statement explaining why you’re the perfect fit for this role.

Got questions? Reach out to George Murphy, Talent Specialist at
george.murphy@peabody.org.uk

Peabody reserve the right to close this job advert early, should we receive enough suitable applications before the closing date.