Summary
At Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, we’re not just offering you an apprenticeship - we’re offering a launchpad for your future. We are a bold, brave, and innovative council — working as one team, embracing diversity, delivering on our promises, striving for excellence, and putting our community at the heart of everything we do.
Wage
£14,526.20 to £23,492.04, depending on your age
National Minimum Wage
Training course
Arborist (level 2)
Hours
Monday to Friday, shifts to be confirmed.
37 hours a week
Start date
Monday 1 September 2025
Duration
1 year 6 months
Positions available
1
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
* Gain valuable and varied experience assisting with the delivery of the Council’s arboricultural and horticultural work programmes.
* Enhance your knowledge, understanding and skills of the arboricultural and horticulture industry.
* Tree pruning, felling and dismantling; woodland and annual maintenance operations; operating and maintaining tools and machinery; aerial tree inspections and ground operations using ladders, climbing equipment and elevated platforms.
Where you'll work
Yarm Road
Stockton-On-Tees
TS18 3RU
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
College or training organisation
EAST DURHAM COLLEGE
Your training course
Arborist (level 2)
What you'll learn
Course contents
* Recognise health and safety needs onsite and work safely
* Complete site-specific risk assessments and emergency action plans
* Select appropriate equipment for tree work operations
* Set out workplace signage (highway & non highway) and assists with traffic control
* Process tree work arisings using appropriate machinery
* Maintain and take appropriate care of tools, equipment and other onsite factors (such as customer or public buildings etc.)
* Recognise a variety of tree species using common names
* Carry out a range of formative pruning operations
* Carry out branch removal up to 200mm diameter with hand tools (target pruning for final cut).
* Fell and process small trees up to 380mm diameter.
* Support aerial tree workers with transfer of equipment for aerial tree work operations
* Perform an aerial rescue of colleague from a rope and harness
* Work safely at height in the tree under supervision
* Communicate technical information about arboricultural operations to fellow team members, clients and other stakeholders as required.
* Recognise health and safety needs onsite and work safely
* Complete site-specific risk assessments and emergency action plans
* Select appropriate equipment for tree work operations
* Set out workplace signage (highway & non highway) and assists with traffic control
* Process tree work arisings using appropriate machinery
* Maintain and take appropriate care of tools, equipment and other onsite factors (such as customer or public buildings etc.)
* Recognise a variety of tree species using common names
* Carry out a range of formative pruning operations
* Carry out branch removal up to 200mm diameter with hand tools (target pruning for final cut).
* Fell and process small trees up to 380mm diameter.
* Support aerial tree workers with transfer of equipment for aerial tree work operations
* Perform an aerial rescue of colleague from a rope and harness
* Work safely at height in the tree under supervision
* Communicate technical information about arboricultural operations to fellow team members, clients and other stakeholders as required.
Your training plan
Day release - one day a week.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
* English (grade 4 or above)
* Maths (grade 4 or above)
Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.
Skills
* Communication skills
* Attention to detail
* Organisation skills
* Problem solving skills
* Analytical skills
* Team working
* Initiative