National Trust Recruiting Garden Apprentice at Lanhydrock

Fancy spending your days among ancient Irish yews, a vast magnolia collection and a Grade I listed mansion, and getting paid to do it? There’s a job going at Lanhydrock that does exactly that, and the part that will catch most people off guard is this: you don’t need any experience to apply.

The National Trust is recruiting a Level 2 Garden Apprentice at its Lanhydrock estate near Bodmin. The role pays £24,785 a year and comes with a recognised horticultural qualification at the end of it. What it doesn’t come with is a long list of requirements. The Trust says it’s after enthusiasm and a desire to learn, not a CV full of gardening jobs.

What the job actually involves

The apprentice will work alongside the garden team looking after one of the Trust’s 224 historic gardens, helping with the regular maintenance, conservation and care that keeps the place going. The Lanhydrock estate is made up of a Grade I listed mansion sitting in Grade II listed formal gardens, with Grade II listed parkland, woodlands and wider countryside around it.

There are three distinct parts of the garden to get to grips with. The historic formal garden has seasonal bedding displays, those magnificent Irish yews and high-profile lawn areas. The higher garden holds herbaceous areas, a stream and a large collection of magnolias, camellias and rhododendrons. And the woodland garden mixes native and non-native trees and shrubs with spring flowering bulbs.

The training is a combination of mandatory five-day college blocks and online learning, with all college costs and travel paid. There are also chances to travel to other National Trust locations, including some overnight stays, to broaden the experience, plus regular review meetings with the training provider.

Who can apply

This is where it’s worth reading the small print. To be eligible by the start date you’ll need a minimum of two GCSEs including English and maths at grade E/2, Functional Skills Level 1 or equivalent. You need to be aged 16 or over, have completed Year 11, and not be in full-time education or on another training programme such as a different apprenticeship or a degree. You’ll also need the right to work in the UK for the full contract and to have been ordinarily resident in the UK for the past three consecutive years, plus the ability to travel to the work location.

One catch worth flagging: if you already hold a qualification in the same or a related subject, or you have lots of relevant work experience, you won’t be eligible. The apprenticeship is aimed squarely at people starting out.

The perks

Beyond the salary, the package includes a pension scheme of up to 10% of basic salary, free entry to National Trust places for you, a guest and your children under 18, a rental deposit loan scheme, a season ticket loan, an EV car lease scheme for roles that meet the salary criteria, and Perks at Work discounts on things like gym memberships and cinema tickets. There’s a holiday allowance of up to 32 days depending on length of service, a holiday purchase scheme, flexible working where possible, an employee assistance programme and free parking at most Trust places.

You can find out more and apply via the National Trust careers site.

📷Credit: National Trust Images / Steve Sayers