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Crop Technician Apprentice
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About the Role
The successful applicant will work towards a recognised Crop Technician Apprenticeship qualification while gaining valuable industry experience within a supportive and friendly working environment, with opportunities for future career progression in commercial horticulture.
Working across all departments in the nursery, despatch, production and within the technical team.
What You'll Do at Work
- Bed preparations including liverwort removal, raking and re-sanding
- Application of fertiliser and plant protection products
- Assisting with the application of biological controls
- Caning, tying and training plants on canes and trellis
- Maintenance work
- De-leafing plants
- Disposal of unsaleable or surplus plants
- Driving various vehicles on-site and between sites (where qualified to do so)
- Finishing, labelling and packing of plants for orders
- Fleecing and un-fleecing plants
- Grading bare root and young plant liners
- Hand-potting plants
- Hand-watering and automatic irrigation operation / monitoring
- Hand-weeding
- Collating / loading plants for orders
- Machine-potting plants
- Moving plants (from one location to another)
- Opening and closing tunnel and glasshouse doors and vents
- Operation of various hand-held equipment
- Root-pruning and pruning plants
- Selecting plants for orders or potting
- Selecting labels and retail prices labels for orders
- Upkeep of the site, production areas, roadways and structures
- Transporting plants and trees
- Wrapping trolleys
Where You'll Work
You can select which locations you want to apply for in your application on Find an apprenticeship.
This apprenticeship is available in these locations:
- OLD FELTWELL ROAD, METHWOLD, THETFORD, NORFOLK, IP26 4PW
- Broad Fen Farm, Severalls Road, Methwold Hythe, Thetford, IP26 4QU
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
SUFFOLK NEW COLLEGE
Training course
Crop technician (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What You'll Learn
Course contents
- Identify and mitigate risks to promote and maintain health, safety and security. (Core)
- Manage accurate paper or digital records within the workplace. (Core)
- Maintain and operate machinery and equipment in accordance with manufacturer operating instructions. (Core)
- Maximise economic sustainability by optimising plant growth when carrying out operations. (Core)
- Establish crops to ensure efficient and sustainable growth. (Core)
- Operate vehicles in accordance with manufacturer operating instructions. (Core)
- Control pests, weeds and diseases using integrated pest management. (Core)
- Apply and store pest management treatments in accordance with standard operating procedures, legislation and regulations. (Core)
- Carry out plant nutrient application or irrigation tasks required by the crop. (Core)
- Carry out harvesting and dispatch operations. (Core)
- Assess and monitor crops for quality, performance and specification requirements. (Core)
- Select harvesting techniques taking account of crop condition and quality requirements. (Core)
- Maintain biosecurity and hygiene practices in line with legislation, regulations and organisational requirements. (Core)
- Keep harvested crops in suitable conditions to maintain quality. (Core)
- Maintain soils or substrates to ensure sustainable, efficient and healthy growth. (Core)
- Sample and evaluate soil or substrate health to determine nutrition requirements. (Core)
- Comply with health and safety legislation, regulations, guidelines and procedures relevant to own role. (Core)
- Participate in learning and CPD activities. (Core)
- Manage own time to achieve tasks to schedule. (Core)
- Consider different approaches to current working practices, identifying improvements, developments and innovative ideas. (Core)
- Set and monitor machinery performance to ensure good seed or plant establishment and crop growth. (Soil based)
- Set machinery and equipment taking into account the crop, environment, soil condition and specification requirements. (Soil based)
- Maintain non-productive areas. (Soil based)
- Assess the impact of machinery on soil structure and identify potential damage in accordance with legislation. (Soil based)
- Optimise growth conditions for crops, based on the specific needs of the plant relative to the environment. (Container based)
- Maintain productive and non-productive areas. (Container based)
- Plan for and carry out the removal of waste materials following harvest or dispatch. (Container based)
- Evaluate and select different growing mediums taking into account site conditions and production requirements. (Container based)
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Crop Technician Standard
English and Maths (if required) Level 2
Level 2 Award in Safe Use of Pesticides
Level 3 Award in Emergency First Aid at Work
Level 2 Award in Safe Application of Pesticides using Self-propelled, Mounted or Trailed Horizontal Boom Sprayers
Desirable qualifications
GCSE in:
- English or Equivalent (grade A-C or 9-4)
- Maths or Equivalent (grade A-C or 9-4)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Other requirements
- Ability to get to the nursery, ideally the candidate will have their own transport
- Good physical stamina, as the role involves manual labour outdoors
About This Employer
For over six decades, we’ve been supplying UK garden centres with British-grown premium plants that look magnificent on shelves from day one. We offer a comprehensive range across six main product categories – Shrubs, Perennials, Clematis, Climbers, Trees and Soft Fruit – all grown slowly and ‘tough’ at our all-weather sites in Norfolk to ensure they are unforced and hardy. Focusing on varieties that we know will both sell well in garden centres and perform well in UK gardens, there is plenty to catch every customer’s eye, from old favourites and A-Z staples, to the more unusual and exciting new introductions. https://www.darby-nurseries.co.uk/ (opens in new tab)
After This Apprenticeship
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).
On completion of this Apprenticeship, Crop Technicians will have the opportunity to progress within the industry, potential full time position at the nursery.
Ask a Question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
SUFFOLK NEW COLLEGE
Natasha Stead
apprenticeshipapplication@suffolk.ac.uk
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000041007.
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