Professional Arboriculturist Level 6 Apprenticeship
Date: 13 Jan 2026
Location: Endeavour Square, TfL Corporate
Company: TfL, GLA or OPDC
Please note: This role may close soon depending on the level of interest so don’t miss out!
Thank you for your interest in applying for this role.
We’d like to remind you that you must ensure you are eligible for this scheme before applying.
Please read through the eligibility criteria below carefully and ensure that you are eligible before applying.
This application will also contain a series of questions to establish whether or not you are eligible. It is important that you take great care in reading and answering these questions as we will not be able to revert your application if an error is made.
Please Note: We only allow one application for any of our Apprenticeship scheme per year. Any subsequent applications will be withdrawn.
Arboriculture & Landscape- Protecting, connecting and enhancing our green infrastructure assets.
Fun Fact / What makes us different?
Transport for London (TfL) is responsible for the management of more than 25,000 street trees, 1,120,000m2 of woodland, 2,000,000m2 of grass and hundreds of miles of trackside trees and vegetation.
Salary
£31,289
What we offer
You will enjoy excellent benefits and scope to grow. Rewards vary according to the business area but mostly include:
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Free travel on the TfL network for you and a nominee who lives in the same household
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Discounted National Rail and Eurostar travel
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Defined pension contribution scheme
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Minimum 29 days annual leave (pro rata dependent on role) plus public and bank holidays.
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Tax-efficient cycle-to-work programme
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Retail, health, leisure and travel offers & many more
Duration
4 years
Location
London/ Hybrid
Hybrid working within this role enables a balance of 50 per cent of time split between the office and home over a 4-week period. Hybrid working arrangements can evolve subject to business requirements.
Entry requirements
5 GCSE passes at Grade C (4) or above (including Maths and English or equivalent)
Plus 48 UCAS Tariff points from one or more of the following:
2 A-levels (A2), at least one at C or above
BTEC/C&G Level 3
2 Scottish Highers at C or above
3 Irish Highers at C or above
International Baccalaureate at 24 points
NVQ Level 3 in a relevant discipline
Access to HE Diploma in a relevant discipline
AS levels, BTEC Subsidiary Diploma and Scottish Intermediate 2s may be used to contribute to entry requirements but they are not sufficient for entry on their own. Alternative equivalent qualifications will also be considered positively.
You are not eligible for this scheme if you currently hold or are working towards a qualification at the same or higher level in a related subject or have already studied content from the qualification for this scheme.
Please note that you will be required to provide original certificates and/or predicted grades/transcripts as proof for your eligibility checks.
You must be 18 years of age before the start date to be eligible for this scheme.
Please be advised that should you be successful in getting an offer for this scheme, your offer will be subject to a satisfactory medical which may include but is not limited to: drugs and alcohol screening, eye test and hearing test.
What Qualifications will I gain?
The candidate will receive a BSc Arboriculture and Urban Forestry Honours degree upon successful completion.
Start Date
7th September 2026
Job overview
Our Engineers focus on the assets that form the foundation of our transport system.
The Arboriculture and Landscape Team are the subject matter experts in green infrastructure (GI), providing specialist support across all modes of the TfL network. This support is a critical part of ensuring that TfL meets its policy objectives as set out in the Mayor’s Transport Strategy and achieving our vision to be a strong, green heartbeat for London.
You’ll make sure our GI assets are safe and protected; develop your own solutions; work with the team to continually improve the way we do things and be a trusted source of technical advice.
You must have a passion for trees and landscape, and for improving the urban environment because at TfL you would be responsible for contributing to a healthier, greener city.
What will I be doing?
As an apprentice, your 4-year development programme will be made up of a primary placement within the Arboriculture and Landscape team and supplemented with various placement rotations across the business. Our aim is to equip you with the range of skills and experience you need for your successful career.
We also understand that everyone’s career is different, so every apprentice’s journey is unique. Here’s an idea of what yours could look like:
Day-to-day you will be supporting the Senior Arboriculture and Landscape Specialists with a focus on carrying out and auditing tree surveys, pest and disease management, reviewing and contributing to designs, arboricultural impact assessments, advising on planting programmes, working with contractors, and contributing/ implementing strategic plans and policies.
You will gain experience in managing a large treestock and contributing to an unparalleled scale, scope and variety of projects such as largescale infrastructure projects; proactive risk management; the creation of raingardens; and the expansion of our wildflower verges.
You will work closely with our colleagues across the business in all manner of areas such as Safety, Health and Environment, Asset Operations, GIS, Planning, Policy, Engineering, and Customer Services.
Sustainability is intrinsic to TfL’s work ethos, and we ensure that we operate in a sustainable way to protect and regenerate the natural world. You’ll also be able to complete placements that help deliver our green strategy and ensure TfL is a strong, green heartbeat for London.
Where can this career take me?
Upon successful completion of this scheme, you’ll move into the role of Arboriculture and Landscape Specialist (Band 2). Depending on your skills and enthusiasm, you may choose to progress into more senior technical roles or explore opportunities in leadership.
The pathway ahead is dynamic and filled with possibilities for your continued growth and success. You'll also have opportunities to complete additional training courses. These will vary from soft skills training, safety training to technical skills training.
The apprenticeship standard aligns with the following professional recognition:
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Institute of Chartered Foresters for MICFor
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Arboricultural Association for Professional
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Chartered Institute of Horticulturists for Membership
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Society for the Environment for Registered Environmental Practitioner – REnvP
What training and support will you get?
Our award-winning teams will support your ongoing development, through a wide range of on-the-job practical experience and placements. We'll support your professional development through a combination of training, mentoring, and networking.
You'll also receive one-to-one guidance throughout the programme from your:
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Placement manager: Responsible for your day-to-day management and support with your development
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Scheme sponsor: A senior manager who acts as a technical and professional adviser and has line manager responsibility
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Buddy: Usually, an apprentice or graduate who gives support to you and ensure that you feel welcomed in the organisation
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Development adviser: Supports your professional development through providing career coaching and career progression at TfL
What do we look for?
Our core values are extremely important to us, and we desire candidates who are:
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Caring about our colleagues, our customers and our work
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Open to each other, to new ideas and to working together
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Adaptable to diverse needs and willing to innovate
Application process
The application process consists of 5 steps, including online assessments which will need to be completed within an allocated time frame. We highly recommend that you read through this document thoroughly so that you can familiarise yourself with the process.
Please click on this link for which describes each stage of the Apprentice Application Process
If you already hold your qualification certificates, please upload copies of these to your application. If you are due to sit final exams or need to replace any certificates, these must be provided at a later stage.
You will receive information and guidance around each assessment stage as you progress through your application.
Please pay close attention to emails and deadlines provided noting you have 1 week to complete online assessments and we cannot re-issue these tests once the deadline passes.
Assessment centres for apprentice roles will take place from March-May, please note that many roles only have 1 assessment day and we are unable to guarantee alternative dates. We are conducting assessment centres in person and virtually (role dependent).
Our city. Made better by you.
TfL is a place that’s open to your ideas. Where you can make a tangible impact and see the positive results of your work on the people and places around you. It’s a place where you can thrive and achieve. Where you’re encouraged and enabled and empowered to feel pride in the work you do. The clue is in the name, really. We work together for a better London. A better place for everyone. Constantly improving and enhancing how we operate to shape a city of the future.
Inclusive recruitment process
We are committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion. We want to represent the city we serve, which will help us become a more innovative and efficient organisation. Our goal is to make our recruitment as inclusive as possible. We are a disability confident employer who guarantee an interview to any disabled candidate who meets all of the essential criteria.
In High Volume campaigns including Graduate, Apprentice and Intern recruitment the minimum criteria we set is achieving a pass mark in our first stage assessments, adopting a proportionate approach as part of the Disability Confident scheme.
Please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments for any stages of the application process.
Contact us
Please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments.
Contact the recruitment team by
• Phone: 0203 005 1680 (Monday to Friday between 09:00 and 17.30)
• Email: earlycareerscampaigns@tfl.gov.uk