Managing peri-urban and urban trees.
Apprentices develop the technical and strategic knowledge needed to manage urban and peri-urban trees at a professional level. This includes tree inspection and risk assessment, specifying tree works to British Standard 3998, and applying planning-related tree legislation such as BS 5837. The programme covers tree strategy development, emergency planning for extreme weather and pest or disease outbreaks, tree planting and establishment, woodland management, tree valuation, and the use of GIS and CAD tools. Apprentices also learn to write business cases and grant applications, and to interpret the relevant legal and regulatory frameworks.
Week to week, apprentices carry out tree inspections, assess structural and physiological condition, and produce written reports and specifications for tree works. They work with GIS software to map and manage tree populations, liaise with planners, highways engineers, ecologists, and contractors, and advise clients on their duty of care obligations. They may attend planning consultations, review development site tree surveys, draft tree management strategies, and help procure arboricultural services through tendering processes. Direct contact with landowners, local authority officers, insurers, and the public is a regular part of the role.
On completion, typical job titles include Arboricultural Consultant, Tree Officer, Urban Forestry Manager, or Arboricultural Project Manager. Progression often leads to senior consultancy positions, team leadership within local authority tree services, or independent consultancy practice. Employers span local authorities, highway authorities, private arboricultural consultancies, housing associations, charities, and organisations managing large estates, parks, or arboreta. The level 6 qualification aligns with chartered membership routes through bodies such as the Arboricultural Association and the Institute of Chartered Foresters.
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Completing this apprenticeship positions someone for consulting and advisory roles rather than purely operational ones. Typical job titles at this stage include Arboricultural Consultant, Tree Officer, Arboricultural Manager, or Urban Forestry Officer. Some move directly into senior technical positions within local authority tree teams, highways departments, or private consultancies, where they take on inspection programmes, tree strategy development, and planning application work from day one.
Within three to five years, professionals in this field commonly progress to Senior Arboricultural Consultant, Principal Tree Officer, or Arboricultural Services Manager, taking on responsibility for team leadership, contract procurement, and policy development. The longer-term split tends to follow two tracks: a management route leading to Head of Arboriculture or Greenspace Manager, and a specialist route focused on expert witness work, development consultancy, or senior advisory roles with national bodies, highway authorities, or large estate managers.
Local authorities are the largest employers, particularly highway and parks departments managing significant public tree stocks. Private arboricultural consultancies, planning consultancies, and development management firms also hire at this level, particularly for BS 5837 planning work. Other employers include housing associations, National Highways, large rural estates, charitable organisations such as the National Trust, and arboreta. The role sits across both public and private sectors, with movement between the two common throughout a career.
Throughout the programme, the apprentice works in a professional arboriculture role while building the knowledge, skills and behaviours set out in the standard. These cover areas such as tree inspection and risk assessment, strategic tree management, planning and development consultancy, legislation, and stakeholder communication. Before moving to final assessment, the apprentice must pass a gateway check, where the employer and training provider confirm the apprentice has reached the required level of occupational competence. Final assessment then confirms they can perform the full role independently. Assessment models for many Level 6 standards are currently being updated, so check the standard's gov.uk page for the current specification.
Building a strong body of workplace evidence throughout the programme is the most effective preparation. That means keeping records of real work, such as tree strategies written, inspections carried out, planning consultations advised on, and procurement exercises managed, rather than trying to reconstruct evidence at the end. Apprentices should maintain regular contact with their training provider and employer to track progress against the standard's knowledge, skills and behaviour requirements, and address any gaps well before the gateway. Starting record-keeping early avoids pressure later.
Look for providers with an achievement rate above 65% on their FATP profile, and strong employer satisfaction scores that suggest genuine engagement with hiring organisations rather than a tick-box relationship. Because this standard sits at Level 6 and covers technical areas like tree risk assessment, statutory compliance and GIS-based strategy work, the best providers will have tutors and assessors with current arboricultural practice experience, not just teaching backgrounds. Check that the curriculum references up-to-date British Standards (3998, 5837, 8545) and tools used in live practice. Learner reviews mentioning real-world case exposure and site-based learning are a positive signal.
Be cautious if a provider cannot name the arboricultural professionals or chartered practitioners who deliver or assess the programme. Vague answers about how apprentices gain experience across the range of employer contexts listed in this standard, such as local authority, consultancy and contractor settings, should prompt further questioning. A high learner volume combined with a declining achievement rate is a concern at this level given the technical depth required. Providers who can't point to alumni working in recognisable professional arboriculturist roles, or who are unclear on EPA arrangements, are worth treating with caution.
There are no nationally mandated entry requirements set out in the standard, so employers set their own. In practice, most candidates will have prior arboricultural experience, often at a lower level such as a Level 3 arboricultural qualification or equivalent practical background. Employers in local authorities, consultancies or commercial companies typically look for evidence of fieldwork experience and the ability to study at degree level, given this is a Level 6 programme.
The typical duration is 36 months, though this can vary depending on the individual's prior learning and the employer's programme structure. The apprentice remains employed throughout and learns on the job alongside any off-the-job training. The exact off-the-job requirement is subject to current reforms; check the latest specification on the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education page for this standard before committing.
Before moving to end-point assessment, the apprentice must pass through a gateway, a point at which the employer and training provider confirm the apprentice has demonstrated the knowledge, skills and behaviours required. The assessment model for many Level 6 standards is currently being reviewed as part of Skills England reforms. For the current assessment arrangements, including any professional discussion, portfolio or project requirements, refer to the gov.uk page for standard reference ST0665.
The funding band for this standard is £22,000, which sets the maximum that can be drawn from the apprenticeship levy or government funding. Levy-paying employers (those with a payroll above £3 million) use their Digital Apprenticeship Service account. Smaller employers pay 5 per cent of the training cost and the government covers the rest. Employers with fewer than 50 staff taking on an apprentice aged 16 to 18 pay nothing, with the government funding the full amount.
The role varies but typically involves carrying out and coordinating tree inspections, writing tree strategies and risk management plans, advising landowners and clients on their duty of care, specifying tree works in line with British Standards, and liaising with highways engineers, planners, ecologists and contractors. There is also significant work around development sites, including interpreting planning policy, producing tree planting plans, and procuring and managing arboricultural contracts. GIS and CAD tools are used regularly alongside site visits.
Completing a Level 6 apprenticeship positions someone for senior or principal arboriculturist roles within local authorities, highway authorities or private consultancies. Some move into management positions overseeing arboricultural teams or contracts. Others pursue chartered membership with bodies such as the Institute of Chartered Foresters or continue into postgraduate study in related disciplines such as urban forestry, landscape management or environmental planning. The qualification also supports work as an independent consultant.
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Curated by Alex Lockey, FATP founder and editor. Last reviewed: .
Sources include the apprenticeship's official specification on apprenticeships.gov.uk, Skills England guidance, IfATE archive records, DWP funding bands, and provider data sourced directly from the public Apprenticeship Provider and Assessment Register (APAR). Standard reference: 665.
Some sections on this page were drafted with AI assistance from published source data and reviewed by a human editor before publication. See our editorial methodology for how we maintain this content. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.