Trainee Arborist

Wyre Forest District Council; Kidderminster; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 31,000; Full time

Job summary

Wyre Forest District Council is seeking a Trainee Arborist to join a small team, assisting senior arborists with council open space tree maintenance and customer service. The role offers a clear career path from Band 1 to Band 3 with progression based on performance and relevant NPTC qualifications.

You will work across varied environments, helping with hedge work, tree felling, site clearances, and general arboreal tasks while adhering to safety standards and public-facing duties.

Qualifications

• Basic fitness and willingness to undertake manual tasks.
• Ability to work outdoors in varying weather conditions.
• Completion of required NPTC qualifications for progression.

Responsibilities

• Ensure the team has the correct equipment on the truck for the day.
• Maintain a safe work site throughout the day.
• Assist with equipment maintenance (chainsaws, hedge cutters, woodchippers).
• Interact with the public when working in open spaces and explain ongoing work.
• Support the tree replacement program.

Skills

Safety awareness

Public interaction

Teamwork

Education

NPTC 203 Tree Climbing & Aerial Rescue

NPTC 204 Chainsaw from Rope & Harness

NPTC 303 Aerial Tree Rigging

Tools

Chainsaws

Hedge cutters

Woodchippers

Job description

We are looking for a trainee arborist to join our team to help assist our current arborists maintaining trees with the councils open spaces and provide a service to customers of the council, whilst also developing your skills in a working environment.

The main responsibilities of the role are -

• Ensuring the the team have the correct equipment on the truck for the days work.
• Helping make the work site is safe throughout the day.
• Help maintain equipment on an ongoing basis, such as chainsaws, hedge cutters and woodchippers.
• Interact with members of the public when working in open spaces to explain what we are doing if approached.
• To assist the team with our tree replacement program.

This is a career graded role, the details are as follows -

• This is a career-graded post, progressing from Band 1 (spinal column point 19 – 24) (£27,652.00 - £31,418.00) (Trainee Arborist) to Band 3 (spinal column point 25-28) (£32,236.00 - £34,935.00) (Arborist).
• The salary structure supports career development. Progression is subject to satisfactory practical and academic performance and demonstrated achievement of the performance standard required for the relevant grade. Completion of the qualifications and experience requirements alone does not guarantee progression. Progression beyond Band 1, SCP 21, requires the recommendation of the Public Realm Officer, based on demonstrated achievement of the required performance standard, together with at least 12 months’ experience from the contract start date and achievement of both NPTC 203 (formerly CS38) Tree Climbing and Aerial Rescue Operations and NPTC 204 (formerly CS39) Using a Chainsaw from a Rope and Harness.

• Progression beyond SPC 24 to Band 3 requires achievement of NPTC 303 (formerly CS41) Aerial Tree Rigging, a further 18–24 months’ experience and demonstrated achievement of the performance standard required for the Arborist post. This includes a proven ability to carry out all tree-related tasks consistently to a high standard with minimal supervision.

The candidate will get the chance to work in a variety of environments from busy parks to quiet nature reserves.

The role offers a great variety of work, such as hedge trimming, felling larges tree, site clearances, light sympathetic reductions and much more.

The postholder will support the activities of a small team of arboriculture staff, ensuring work is carried out safely, efficiently, competently and to a high standard.

The role will require you to work flexibly on a rota basis covering a variety of shifts including weekends, evenings, bank holidays and Christmas working.

To work outside normal office hours from time to time as the demands of the post and emergencies dictate in additional to the out of hours rota.

You may be required to respond to out of hours call outs as required.

This job includes duties that require an element of physical exertion and mobility on an occasional or frequent basis.

Flexible approach to working hours, able to work outside normal office hours if necessary.

We understand you may use AI tools to help you prepare your application. While these tools can be helpful, please ensure everything you share about your experiences, skills, and qualifications is authentic and truly reflects you. Your genuine story and real achievements are what we're most interested in!

The closing date for applications is Friday 20th November 2026, but we reserve the right to close applications early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.

Wyre Forest District Council is an equal opportunities employer.

Attached documents
Trainee Arborist.docx