Apprentice Gardener

Apprentice Gardener – Start Your Career in Horticulture and Help Shape Our Green Spaces

Love gardening? Enjoy working outdoors and want to turn your passion into a career? As an Apprentice Gardener with Peabody, you’ll gain hands‑on experience while completing your horticulture qualification, working across our landscaped estates, parks and green spaces. You’ll be part of a supportive Environmental Services team, learning practical skills from experienced gardeners while earning a salary and developing a strong foundation for your future career.

This apprenticeship is an ideal opportunity to begin a rewarding career in horticulture. By the end of the programme, you’ll be a qualified gardener with extensive experience—ready to continue your journey in grounds maintenance, landscape management, garden design or supervisory roles.

What you’ll do

As part of your day‑to‑day duties, you’ll support our grounds teams with a variety of horticultural tasks, including:

• Working outdoors in all weather conditions
• Maintaining shrub beds
• Planting bedding, shrubs and trees
• Grass cutting and turf care
• Maintaining flower beds and seasonal planting
• General gardening duties
• Litter picking and maintaining clean outdoor environments
• Chemical spraying (subject to qualification)
• Driving company vehicles (subject to qualification and authorisation)
• Assisting with soft landscaping and ad‑hoc horticultural projects

You’ll also follow all Peabody Health & Safety procedures, ensuring your own safety and the safety of others. You may be required to undertake specific Health & Safety roles such as Fire Warden or First Aider.

What you’ll gain during your apprenticeship

During the scheme, you’ll have the opportunity to gain a range of industry‑recognised qualifications, including:

• Horticulture and Landscape Operative training
• RHS Level 2 Certificates in Horticulture
• PA1 and PA6/PA6A Pesticide Application Certificates
• Safe Use of Pedestrian and Ride‑On Mowers
• First Aid at Work
• Functional Skills in English and Maths (if required)

Your training will take place across Peabody’s landscaped assets in Thamesmead and the Park Side development in Lewisham.

What you’ll need

• A passion for gardening and enthusiasm for a career in horticulture
• Enjoy working outdoors in all seasons and comfortable with early starts
• A positive attitude, willingness to learn and good communication skills
• Ability to work well within a team
• A desire to represent Peabody positively in our communities
• At least 2 GCSEs grade 9–4 (including ideally English and Maths, or equivalent)

About the Level 2 Horticulture Apprenticeship

As part of your 24‑month apprenticeship, you will:

• Spend at least 20% of your working hours in training, workshops or study
• Participate in on‑the‑job and off‑the‑job learning
• Complete assignments, assessments and coursework
• Attend 1:1 sessions and performance reviews
• Receive mentoring and professional support throughout your programme
• Have opportunities for long‑term progression and development
• Complete a final End Point Assessment to demonstrate competence
• Complete Functional Skills qualifications if you do not already hold them

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’re committed to supporting the next generation of horticulture professionals and helping you grow your skills and confidence.

What We Offer

• 30 days annual leave, plus bank holidays
• Two paid volunteering days each year
• Flexible benefits scheme and employee discount portal
• Life assurance at 4x your salary
• Up to 10% pension contribution

Please read before applying

This role is a 24 month fixed-term contract. This is a physically active outdoor role where you’ll work in all weather conditions and support a wide range of horticultural tasks. You’ll need to be enthusiastic, reliable and committed to learning throughout the apprenticeship.

Interviews will take place on Thursday 2nd April, in person, at our Hailey Road depot.

If this sounds like the right opportunity for you and you’d love to start your horticulture career with Peabody, we’d love to hear from you.
Please apply by submitting an anonymised CV and a short statement explaining why you’re the perfect fit for this apprenticeship.

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