About the job

Job summary

East England Forest District (EEFD), with over 150 directly employed staff, covers an area of 35,000 ha from North Norfolk to Brighton; including Thetford Forest and the outlying beats of Sandlings, Kent, East Sussex, Chilterns and Thames Chase.  The apprentice roles will be based in Thetford Forest which is the largest lowland pine forest in the UK. 

Thetford Forest is comprised of four beat teams. Each forest beat area is managed by a local team comprising a Forester, Work Supervisor, Forest Craftspeople.  They are supported by locally based Wildlife Rangers and Community/Recreation Rangers. We are offering apprentice craftsperson roles in Thetford Forest to work alongside our existing craftspersons and beat teams to gain practical experience whilst following a structured training programme.

Thetford & North Norfolk have an annual tree planting programme of over 1 million trees. The thinning and clearfell harvesting programme supplies around 80,000 tonnes of timber a year to the UK’S wood processing industries.  A Forest Resilience Programme is currently considering how we can adapt our forest management in the face of projected climate change effects on temperature, rainfall and extreme weather events.

The majority of Thetford Forest (18,000 Ha) is designated for its conservation interest, including Special Protection Areas (SPA) to conserve the breeding habitat for the Woodlark and Nightjar and Sites of Specific Scientific Interest (SSSI) to recognise the rare botanical interest in the forest.

Job description

The 18-month apprenticeship offers an exciting opportunity to gain experience in a wide range of skills working in both forest and other habitats.

The main responsibilities of the Apprentice Forest Craftsperson role are working with other staff to:

• Undertake forest estate management operations including timber mensuration, fencing, planting, habitat enhancement and protection.
• Support timber harvesting activities, including chainsaw felling and mechanical pruning.
• Work effectively as part of a small team, and when requested responding quickly to unexpected work and requests raised by supervisors and managers.
• Undertake tree inspections.
• May include additional training for tractor-based operations.

The role involves manual work outdoors in all weathers in the forest environment. The job is varied and wide ranging, requiring close team working, enthusiasm and ability to deliver at pace across a range of skills and disciplines.

We require all our staff to be welcoming, enthusiastic and approachable, with a willingness to engage with team discussion and with visitors to the forest in a polite and appropriate manner.

Find out more on our webpage - Apprenticeships , Forestry England

Training

You will undertake the Forest Operative Level 3 apprenticeship and will be trained and obtain awards in:

• Level 3 award in emergency first aid at work (in a forestry context known as +F)
• Level 2 Principles of Safe Handling and Application of Pesticides Guidance OR Level 2 Award in the Safe Use of Pesticides
• Level 2 Award in the Safe Application of Pesticides using Pedestrian Hand Held Equipment (including application near water)
• Level 2 award in safe use of brush-cutters and strimmers
• Level 2 award in safe use of forestry clearing saw
• Level 2 award in chainsaw maintenance
• Level 2 award in crosscutting timber using a chainsaw
• Level 2 award in felling and processing trees up to 380mm

Throughout the 18-month apprenticeship you will be required to attend formal training which may require you to travel and stay away from home. You will also be required to carry out revision and study and record your work within a portfolio.

To successfully complete the apprenticeship, you will be required to pass a final, end point assessment. The Forestry England training team will support you during the apprenticeship. On successful completion of the apprenticeship, you will be offered a post within Forestry England, but the location is not guaranteed.

In line with legal, Governmental and Organisational policy, Forestry England is committed to promoting equality and diversity throughout the organisation and its workforce. As such, the apprenticeship programme is open to all applicants and there is no minimum academic qualification level required. We will need to ensure that you are eligible for an apprenticeship as part of the process.

Person specification

Essential Criteria 

• Evidence of ability to work outdoors and interest in forestry, conservation or countryside management.
• Evidence of good people skills and ability to work as part of a team.
• Willingness and ability to acquire new practical skills through training courses, practice and by learning from colleagues.
• Basic computer, IT and mobile phone skills.

Desirable Experience

• Ability to use MS Office packages, including Outlook.
• GCSE (Grades A-C or 4 and above) or equivalent in Maths and English.
• Full UK Driving Licence.

Please clearly demonstrate how the above applies to you throughout your application. Failure to do so will mean that your application is automatically sifted out.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £22,096, Forestry Commission contributes £6,401 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.

Application 

As part of the application process, you will complete the following:

1. A tailored CV setting out your experience, with key responsibilities and achievements, of no more than two pages. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.
2. A personal statement – in no more than 500 words showing how you meet the criteria of the person specification evidence.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the CV and Personal Statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Applications will be sifted from the 20th August. 

Interview

Interviews will be held between 28th to 30th August.

Interviews will include Behaviours and Strengths questions as well as practical tasks.  The interviews will be conducted in person at the Forestry England East District Office, Santon Downham IP27 0TJ. Details will be shared once sifting has been completed.

Further Information

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to Forestry Commission from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out. 

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading. 

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

Where a role has been identified as one which falls under the scope of the Public Sector English Language Requirements, within Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016, it is essential that applicants should have the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English. Applicants will be assessed in the selection process in accordance with the requirements.

The duties of this post require the applicant to have a full current driving licence that enables them to drive in the UK. However, the Forestry Commission is willing to consider any proposals put forward by applicants that would allow them to do the job by any other means.

Who can start an apprenticeship

To start an apprenticeship, you’ll need to be:

• 16 or over
• living in England
• not in full-time education

You can apply for an apprenticeship while you’re still at school but you’ll need to be 16 or over by the end of the summer holidays to start the apprenticeship. Please note if successful you must be 16 or over to undergo the relevant security checks.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. 

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: 

Contact Government Recruitment Service via FCERecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs. 

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional. 

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.