Horticulture Apprentice - Lewisham

Horticulture Apprentice Lewisham Background and Company Information

Glendale is a family owned company delivering 'green services' throughout Great Britain. Glendale's activities include grounds management, landscaping, countryside/estates management, horticulture and arboriculture.

Founded in 1989, Glendale has had a long and successful history in providing grounds maintenance services to local authorities and other private sector customers. Glendale is proud of its reputation as a high quality service provider and in addition to grounds maintenance, delivers a wide range of green services including countryside and estate management, landscaping, tree services and arboriculture.

With revenues of around £65 million Public sector contracts remain the core business, whilst the corporate sector business amounts to an increasing percentage of Glendale's total business and a strategic focus. The Glendale brand is strong and the majority of the company's revenues are generated from grounds management and countryside activities that operate term contracts with public sector clients.

Committed to the environment, Glendale is a Carbon Neutral business that seeks to improve the environment through our activities and go above and beyond to ensure that the planet is not adversely affected by our business. From ensuring local parks and open spaces are maintained to a high standard, to tree safety through our arboricultural teams, to saving mature trees through our Civic Tree business and ensuring sustainable design through our landscape architecture practice. Glendale offered the full range of landscape services from one unique source of professional.

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Glendale has been awarded the 2025 Pro Landscape Business Awards Supreme Winner and the BALI Employer Excellence Award Winner for 2025.

Role Objectives

Reporting to the Contract Manager the post holder's key responsibilities shall be:

• Maintain professional study of apprenticeship course and modular assignments, including attendance at college
• Assist with enquiries from the public professionally, efficiently and in a courteous manner Liaising with other Council Services and external organisations as required, to gather or share information and maintain and update records
• To carry out under close supervision, all appropriate grounds maintenance operations across the district. Under supervision, to operate all machinery, tools and equipment in a safe and appropriate manner, and in accordance with the manufacturers recommendations and with due regard to Health and Safety and Safe Systems of Work. Under instruction, to assist operate ride on mowers and pedestrian mowers and use a range of tools and equipment, including power tools and light plant.
• To ensure that vehicles, machinery and hand tools are kept clean, secure and serviceable at all times; to assist with the planting and maintenance of annual bedding displays, hard and soft landscaping and associated grounds maintenance duties as required
• Any other ad hoc duties as may reasonably be required. To maintain accurate and legible records including timesheets, tick sheets, vehicle and machinery defect report forms, pesticide application forms, incident forms etc.
• To obtain and maintain a full driving licence if possible as you will be required to travel and report any changes immediately to your Supervisor. Following instructions relating to vehicles and to ensure all equipment is used in safe working condition, in accordance with the Company's Health Safety and Welfare, Operational Systems Manual and all associated procedures. To ensure that machinery and tools are looked after and minimise damage. That the work equipment used is fit for purpose. Health and Safety. To act in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act and the Glendale Health and Safety Policy at all times. To carry out instructions from your Line Manager in accordance with Glendale's Health and Safety Policy, Glendale's Codes of Practice, Glendale's Quality Management Systems and the Employee Handbook.
• To be knowledgeable of Health and safety regulations within your workplace and the activities that you are carrying out. Ensure you have completed the necessary induction and health and safety modules prior to commencement of any works.
• You must be responsible for the health and safety of yourself and that of others, in your working environment. To promote safe working practices at all times and to ensure that all equipment is safe to use.
• Machine Maintenance and Security. To ensure that you are knowledgeable of the suitability of all machinery/equipment used in accordance with the task you are doing and it is safe to use. To ensure the correct use of all machinery/equipment in accordance with its handbook.
• To ensure that any machinery/equipment that does not operate correctly is reported immediately to your Line Manager and a defect tag is filled out and attached. To ensure that any check/maintenance sheets are completed and passed to your Line Manager. To ensure that all machinery/equipment is secured at all times (when not in use). Quality and Customer Care. In accordance with our ISO9001 Accreditation and the Glendale Quality Management Systems. To ensure that you are aware of your tasks and targets for each day and to ensure that you are fully aware of the standard required for each task.
• To monitor and maintain your work output to a satisfactory level and standard.
• To ensure that you conduct yourself in a polite and friendly manner at all times.
• To ensure that any associated administration is completed and returned to the office within the required timescales.
• Environmental. In accordance with our ISO14001 Accreditation. To ensure that you operate your duties in a way that minimises our impact upon the environment. This will include the safe and efficient use of fuels/oils, the correct handling and disposal of waste materials. To ensure that any spillage of fuels or chemicals are dealt with quickly and efficiently and in accordance with the regulations.
• The above lists are not exhaustive and you may be required to undertake other duties as may be reasonably required by the company. If you are unsure of any of the above items it is your responsibility to raise them with your Line Manager.

Personal Characteristics

• A high level of initiative and forward thinking attitude
• Flexible approach to duties
• An enthusiastic approach
• A clear identification with the requirements of Glendale's customers

Benefits offered by Glendale:

• Employee health cash plan
• Employee discount portal - discounts on travel booking, high street vouchers, gift cards, cinema tickets, days out, leisure activities and your day to day spending
• Company sick pay
• Career progression
• Training and development