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Forest officer apprenticeships

Environment and land | Managerial

Forest officer apprenticeships - where to start

You can get into this job through

  • a university course
  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship


    • University

    You'll usually need a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in a relevant subject, like: 

    • arboriculture 
    • countryside management
    • forest management 
    • forestry woodland 
    • ecology and conservation 
    There is also a small number of postgraduate courses. You'll usually need: 

    • 1 or 2 A-Levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma 
    • 2 to 3 A-:evels, or equivalent, for a degree 
    • a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study 
    College
    You could do a college course, which would teach you some of the skills and knowledge you need in this job. Relevant subjects include: 

    • Level 2 Certificate in Forestry and Arboriculture 
    • Level 3 Diploma in Forestry and Arboriculture
    You'll usually need 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a Level 2 course. You'll need 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a Level 3 course. 

    Apprenticeship
    You can get into this job through an arborist or forest operative Level 2 apprenticeship. You'll usually need some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for a Level 2 apprenticeship. Most employers will expect you to have 2 to 3 years' woodland experience to become a forestry officer.

    Forest officer apprenticeships - what it takes

    Skills and knowledge

    You'll need:

    • the ability to use your initiative 
    • to be thorough and pay attention to detail 
    • leadership skills 
    • knowledge of geography 
    • the ability to work well with others
    • knowledge of maths
    • the ability to monitor your own performance and that of your colleagues 
    • excellent verbal communication skills 
    • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
    Restrictions and Requirements
    You'll need to:

    • be able to cope with working at height Y
    • a driving licence and access to a vehicle to reach forest and woodland areas
    • certificates of competence for your work like chainsaw use, chipper use or operation of specialist equipment like a tree harvester

    Forest officer apprenticeships - what you'll do

    Day-to-day tasks

    In this job, you could:

    • manage a budget 
    • carry out a business plan 
    • report to the head forester 
    • plan work to be carried out by staff and contractors 
    • manage maintenance of machinery and equipment
    • keep accurate work records 
    • make sure health and safety policies are followed 
    • survey and inspect trees and sites 
    • select and mark up timber to be harvested 
    • plan, monitor and evaluate habitat management work
    Working environment
    You could work in a park, in an office or in woodland. Your working environment may be physically demanding, outdoors in all weathers and you may spend nights away from home. You may need to wear protective clothing.

    Career path and progression - Forest officer apprenticeships

    With experience, you could become a forest manager, move into consultancy work or do research at a university. You may also be able to apply for chartered environmentalist status. 

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    Considering an Apprenticeship?

    There are lots of benefits to apprenticeships, here are our top 5:

    • Paid Training
      Not only will your organisation (or the Government) pay for all of your training, but you’ll be paid to do it. That means you could actually get paid to get your degree and have no debt!
    • Range of career opportunities
      There are over 625 different apprenticeships to choose from, in a range of industries. Whether you’re interested in law, marketing, construction or engineering, you’ll find something up your street!
    • Earn & learn
      As an apprentice, the minimum you’ll earn is £6.20 an hour, but we’ve seen apprentices earn a starting salary of up to £30,000 a year! You could also get other employee benefits like gym memberships, paid holiday and sick pay.
    • Great career prospects
      Employers think apprentices are 15% more employable than those with other qualifications. In fact, many large employers train their graduates and apprentices together!
    • Learn on the job
      There’s only so much you can learn when you just do a qualification. As an apprentice, you’ll also get to learn on the job - whether that’s designing amazing graphics, chopping vegetables or building engines!

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