Level 2 Countryside Worker
About the Apprenticeship
Countryside Workers are the custodians of our rural outdoor scenery. They conserve the environment that makes the English countryside both distinctive and special. They take care of our protected landscapes – National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), National Nature Reserves as well as private landed estates, country and to a degree, urban parks. These cover huge amounts of our country, for example, 25% of England is covered by National Parks and AONBs while National Nature Reserves cover an additional 60,000 hectares across 143 separate sites. Wildlife Trusts and Rivers Trusts also employ Countryside Workers in their environmental and conservation work.
Countryside Workers carry out specific environmental and conservation tasks and they will also be clear about how practical conservation work interacts with the productive and recreational use of the countryside, and how these relate to countryside management practices. Countryside Workers will be able and willing to do challenging work outdoors, in a variety of locations, which may be remote, including moorland, heathland, woodland and coast, interact with the public and explain their work as well as undertaking their role all year round in a variety of weathers, both on their own and as part of a team.
Entry Requirements
The apprentice needs to have the attitude and ability to develop the required skills and knowledge during the apprenticeship. This will usually be tested via an application/interview process.
Apprentices without level 1 English and maths will need to achieve this level and apprentices without level 2 English and maths will need to take the tests for this level prior to taking the end-point assessment.
Employers will ultimately determine the entry requirements.
More information
- Countryside Ranger
This apprenticeship programme will be delivered through a combination of practical hands-on and theory based activities which will be tailored to ensure the apprentice develops the necessary knowledge, skills and behaviours to become a professional Arboriculture worker and effective member of your organisation.
With all apprenticeships there is a requirement to record 20% off-the-job activities and this will be achieved through the use of a dedicated electronic on-line portfolio which the apprentice, you as the employer and the college delivery team will all have access to. The apprentice will be assigned a dedicated Assessor Trainer, who will undertake regular workplace progress reviews with both the apprentice and an assigned member of your team, as well as supporting all aspects of the apprentices ongoing development. This approach enables effective progress monitoring and target setting to be established from day 1, ensuring the employer and apprentice are clear about all aspects of the apprenticeship programme and what part they each play in ensuring the apprentice continues to make the expected levels of progress. Furthermore, this approach ensures any additional support requirements or interventions can be implemented in a timely manner as required.
A BCA Virtual Learning Environment ensures all learning, development and support material can be easily accessed, further supporting the blended learning and development approach adopted by BCA for all its apprenticeship delivery. This ensures flexible and responsive training at all times, through a combination of on-line and face-to-face activities delivered by industry experts, using our high quality, industry recognised resources and equipment.
The apprentice will be required to undertake and pass an independent End Point Assessment upon successful completion of their apprenticeship, after which point they will be awarded their Apprenticeship Certificate.
Example skills:
- Manage habitats using a range of specialist techniques.
- Construct or repair boundaries and access ways.
- Manage vegetation in a range of different situations, for example strimming pathways, using pesticides, managing trees and hedgerows, eradicating invasive species in order to conserve native flora and fauna.
- Construct and /or maintain site furniture for access and interpretation.
- Problem solving; be resourceful in finding solutions to problems that may arise in day to day work and know when to ask a supervisor for advice.
- Identify a range of British flora and fauna native to the specific local area e.g. commonly seen birds, mammals, insects, herbs, flowers, trees or fungi to determine the appropriate habitat management needed.
- Undertake surveys which feed into site management plans and work plans,
- Write a simple dynamic risk assessment and be able to use it on site.
- The knowledge aligns to a level 2 qualification in Environmental Conservation.
