APPRENTICE ARBORICULTURE

Brisbane City Council; Brisbane; On-site; AUD 28,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tool allowance up to 3600

Flexible working arrangements

Gym and wellness centre access

Award-winning superannuation fund

Generous leave provisions

Mentor and supervisor support

Job summary

Brisbane City Council is looking for an enthusiastic Apprentice Arborist to join the South Region Arboriculture Team. This role offers hands-on learning, mentorship, and a nationally recognised qualification while contributing to Brisbane's urban forest.

You will gain practical experience alongside experienced professionals, with an emphasis on safety and developing specialist skills for a long-term career in public space care.

Qualifications

• Have completed a minimum of Year 10 Maths and English.
• Capacity to balance work and study commitments throughout the apprenticeship.
• Passion for Brisbane and our landscape, particularly trees and green spaces.

Responsibilities

• Felling trees.
• Working at heights using elevated work platforms (EWP) and tree climbing techniques.
• Operating specialist arboriculture equipment and machinery.
• Carrying out tree pruning and maintenance.
• Assisting with rigging and tree removal operations.
• Undertaking manual outdoor work, including moving branches, carrying logs and clearing worksites.
• Contributing to the care and maintenance of Brisbane's urban forest.

Skills

Good communication skills

Teamwork

Willing to learn

Reliability

Safety conscious

Hands-on work

Job description

Love working outdoors and have a passion for trees, the environment or working with nature?

Are you someone who enjoys staying active, working with your hands and learning practical skills? Do you take pride in seeing the results of your work and want a career that helps shape and care for Brisbane's parks, streets and green spaces for the community to enjoy?

Brisbane City Council is seeking an enthusiastic and motivated Apprentice Arborist to join our South Region Arboriculture Team.

Whether you're starting your career or continuing an apprenticeship already underway, this is an exciting opportunity to learn from experienced mentors, develop specialist skills and help care for Brisbane's urban forest.

You'll work in a supportive team environment with a strong focus on safety while gaining a nationally recognised qualification and building a rewarding long-term career.

Our Business

Infrastructure Services plays a critical role in preserving, maintaining and enhancing Brisbane's extensive asset portfolio, including the city's road network, bridges, footpaths, parks and urban forest.

Our Branch

Public Space Operations is a customer-focused and service-driven branch that takes pride in keeping Brisbane's streets, parks and public spaces clean, green and safe for residents and visitors to enjoy.

What you'll be doing

As an Apprentice Arborist, you'll gain hands‑on experience and develop specialist skills while working alongside experienced professionals.

• felling trees
• working at heights using elevated work platforms (EWP) and tree climbing techniques
• operating specialist arboriculture equipment and machinery
• carrying out tree pruning and maintenance
• assisting with rigging and tree removal operations
• undertaking manual outdoor work, including moving branches, carrying logs and clearing worksites
• contributing to the care and maintenance of Brisbane's urban forest.

To be successful in this role, you will:

• have a passion for Brisbane and our landscape, particularly our trees and green spaces
• enjoy practical, hands‑on work and working outdoors
• have an interest in arboriculture, horticulture, agriculture or the environment
• take pride in your work and have a strong commitment to safety
• be reliable, motivated and willing to learn
• have good communication skills and work well in a team
• have completed a minimum of Year 10 Maths and English
• have the capacity to balance work and study commitments throughout the apprenticeship.

Training and Study Requirements

As part of this apprenticeship, you will be required to attend and successfully complete formal training with Council's nominated training provider.

Applicants must be committed to completing both the practical and study components of the apprenticeship and have access to reliable transportation to attend training, assessments and other learning activities as required.

Benefits of working for Council include:

Council is committed to supporting apprentices throughout their development and offers a range of benefits, including:

• opportunity to receive up to $3,600 in tool allowances
• flexible working arrangements
• free gym and wellness centre access
• award-winning superannuation fund
• generous leave provisions
• ongoing support from experienced mentors and supervisors.

Start your career among the trees

If you're passionate about the outdoors, enjoy practical work and want to build a career helping maintain Brisbane's green spaces, we'd love to hear from you.

Application Closing Date

Sunday 8th November 2026 at 11:55pm AEST.

People from diverse backgrounds, including those living with a disability and/or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, who may have questions about the recruitment process or working at Council, are encouraged to reach out to the contact above, who can connect you with a member of Council's Diversity and Inclusion team.

Brisbane City Council is a multi-award winning accessible and inclusive workplace where our people represent the diverse communities we serve, are supported, and can feel safe. Council has been awarded Employer of the Year at the National Disability Awards and has been recognised multiple times with 'Gold Employer' status from the Australian Workplace Equality Index for LGBTI inclusion.

Council and its employees must follow the Public Sector Ethics Act 1994 (Qld) and the Code of Conduct. This means employees are expected to act with honesty, fairness, and always prioritise the public interest over personal or private gain. The Code of Conduct requires employees to openly disclose any other work they do outside of Council -- includingpaid or unpaid employment,operatingtheir own business or volunteering in certain circumstances - and to manage any conflictsof interest or other risks (such as fatigue)in a way that puts the public interestfirst.Maintainingemployment outside Council does notprecludeyou from being considered for roles within Council.