The Royal Parks apprenticeship scheme seeks new talent to help care for London's green spaces

The Royal Parks charity is searching for six new horticultural apprentices to join the teams helping to shape the most famous collection of urban parks in the world, including The Regent’s Park, St James’s Park, Greenwich Park and Bushy Park.

The charity cares for London’s eight historic Royal Parks, and its apprenticeship scheme, in partnership with the charity’s landscape contractors, takes on a cohort of new paid horticultural apprentices every year to learn from experts, and to pave the way for a promising career in the industry.

Applications for the scheme are now open and will close on April 20, 2025.

Apply to become a Royal Parks' horticultural apprentice

Apprentices on the scheme study for two years to achieve a Level 2 qualification in Horticultural Operations. They will then have the option to continue for a third year and complete the RHS Level 2 Certificate in Practical Horticulture.

Successful applicants will work in one of the Royal parks for four days a week alongside the horticultural teams and landscape maintenance contract partners, and study at Capel Manor College in The Regent’s Park for one day a week.

The scheme is open to applicants of all ages, whether they are leaving school, looking for a career change, or already working within the horticultural industry. Applicants should have a passion for gardening, be eager to learn, and have a positive, can-do approach.

Rupert Lovibond, 41, is a second-year apprentice at Bushy Park. He said:

“I was at a point where I was no longer happy with my job, and I thought, there has to be more to life than this.

“I started thinking about what I really loved and enjoyed doing during lockdown, and that was gardening. I thought, why didn’t I look into this further, turning my passion into an actual livelihood?

“I found out about the apprenticeship scheme and just went for it. It’s really created a passion within me, which I suspected might be there, but I didn’t really know.

“I’m 41 now and it’s really changed things around for me, massively. I like making a difference.

“Getting that feeling every single day changes your life, it changes who you are as a person.”

Daisy Cox, second-year apprentice at St James’s Park, said: 

“I really enjoy the varied nature of the apprenticeship. You learn so much within such a quick period.  

“If you’ve got the idea in your head that working outside, working with plants is for you, you should apply, because you don’t know until you’ve tried how much you’ll love it.

“A lot of people do the apprenticeship and then move towards something else, because there are a lot of different opportunities that it opens up. I really enjoy working outside, and that’s something I’ve realised from doing the apprenticeship.”

Pam Steer was previously a teacher, until she decided she wanted to do something ‘completely different’. Now a first-year apprentice at Bushy Park, Pam said: 

“I like working outside, I’m a trained forest school leader, and so I decided to apply for the apprenticeship.

“I love it. Every day I come to work with a big smile on my face. It’s the most beautiful place to work, and I just love my job. I’ve learned so much. I’d love to just create more beauty for people to appreciate when they come to the park.”

Joseph Coffey, Greenwich Park third-year apprentice, first got into horticulture after finishing his undergraduate degree, helping a friend with her gardening business over the summer. Joseph said: 

“I just really enjoyed it. With all the jobs that I did previously, I just kind of had this feeling that I’d much rather be doing gardening.

“There’s a lot of people here who’ve been doing this for years and years, so it’s a good place to learn. With horticulture, the things you can go into are endless, really.

“It’s a very unique experience and lifestyle, especially living in London, there are not many places where you have such large green spaces that you can work in. It can be hard work but it is fun.”

The scheme dates back to the 1960s, and former apprentices who have worked within The Royal Parks have gone on to become park managers, supervisors, head gardeners or contract managers at the charity, while others have gone on to work at high-profile locations such as Buckingham Palace and other prestigious gardens worldwide.

Adam Stoter, Assistant Park Manager at The Royal Parks, who oversees the apprenticeship scheme, said:  

"The Royal Parks apprenticeship scheme is a fantastic opportunity to gain hands-on experience working in some of the most iconic green spaces in London. Our apprentices develop invaluable horticultural skills while contributing to the care and preservation of these historic landscapes. 

"Whether you're starting out or looking for a career change, this scheme opens doors to a rewarding future in horticulture.”