Skip to content

From Seed to Career - the Green Skills Tree

Explore how your green career can grow! Hover over parts of the tree and click on the career branch that inspires you!

Training and Entry Routes

  • Green Space Skills Hub Bootcamp
  • Apprenticeships
  • College Courses
  • University
  • Volunteering
  • Career Change Routes
Back to the Tree

Grounds Maintainance

Grounds Maintenance Operative

  • Role overview: Maintain parks, communal spaces and outdoor grounds.
  • Typical responsibilities: Grass cutting, litter removal, hedge trimming, planting and equipment checks.
  • Skills / experience: Outdoor practical skills, health and safety awareness and reliability.
  • Possible next step: Senior Operative

Senior Operative

  • Role overview: Complete skilled grounds tasks and guide less-experienced operatives.
  • Typical responsibilities: Operate specialist equipment, inspect standards and assist team leaders.
  • Skills / experience: Proven maintenance experience, machinery competence and communication.
  • Possible next step: Team Leader

Team Leader

  • Role overview: Coordinate a small grounds maintenance team on site.
  • Typical responsibilities: Plan daily work, supervise staff, check quality and report issues.
  • Skills / experience: Supervision, safe working practices and scheduling.
  • Possible next step: Contract Supervisor

Contract Supervisor

  • Role overview: Monitor service delivery across sites under a maintenance contract.
  • Typical responsibilities: Site inspections, staffing coordination, customer updates and performance checks.
  • Skills / experience: Contract knowledge, quality assurance and people management.
  • Possible next step: Contract Manager

Contract Manager

  • Role overview: Manage delivery, costs and client relationships for grounds contracts.
  • Typical responsibilities: Monitor KPIs, budgets, staffing, risks and service improvement.
  • Skills / experience: Contract administration, budgeting and client management.
  • Possible next step: Operations Manager

Operations Manager

  • Role overview: Oversee multiple contracts or operational teams.
  • Typical responsibilities: Lead managers, allocate resources, improve performance and ensure compliance.
  • Skills / experience: Multi-site leadership, commercial judgement and operational planning.
  • Possible next step: Senior leadership, consultancy or specialist progression, depending on the organisation.
Back to the Tree

Tree Surgery

Groundworker

  • Role overview: Support arboricultural teams safely from the ground.
  • Typical responsibilities: Prepare sites, manage branches and debris, assist climbers and maintain exclusion zones.
  • Skills / experience: Site safety, teamwork, physical fitness and relevant equipment training.
  • Possible next step: Tree Surgeon

Tree Surgeon

  • Role overview: Carry out practical tree care and removal work.
  • Typical responsibilities: Prune, dismantle or fell trees where qualified, inspect equipment and follow risk assessments.
  • Skills / experience: Relevant chainsaw/climbing competence, rescue procedures and safe working.
  • Possible next step: Lead Climber

Lead Climber

  • Role overview: Lead technically demanding climbing operations.
  • Typical responsibilities: Plan aerial work, guide climbing teams and maintain safe rigging practices.
  • Skills / experience: Advanced climbing and rigging competence, judgement and mentoring.
  • Possible next step: Supervisor

Supervisor

  • Role overview: Coordinate tree surgery crews and site safety.
  • Typical responsibilities: Assign work, check risk controls, monitor quality and communicate with clients.
  • Skills / experience: Arboricultural experience, leadership and risk management.
  • Possible next step: Contract Manager

Contract Manager

  • Role overview: Manage tree work contracts and delivery teams.
  • Typical responsibilities: Plan workloads, budgets, client liaison, subcontractors and compliance.
  • Skills / experience: Commercial management, arboricultural understanding and planning.
  • Possible next step: Senior leadership, consultancy or specialist progression, depending on the organisation.
Back to the Tree

Sustainability

Sustainability Assistant

  • Role overview: Support the delivery of environmental and sustainability projects.
  • Typical responsibilities: Gather data, maintain records, help campaigns and support reporting.
  • Skills / experience: Organisation, data literacy and environmental awareness.
  • Possible next step: Sustainability Officer

Sustainability Officer

  • Role overview: Coordinate practical sustainability initiatives.
  • Typical responsibilities: Track energy or waste metrics, engage teams and help deliver action plans.
  • Skills / experience: Project coordination, communication and sustainability knowledge.
  • Possible next step: Sustainability Advisor

Sustainability Advisor

  • Role overview: Provide specialist guidance on sustainability improvements.
  • Typical responsibilities: Assess impacts, advise on standards, recommend actions and prepare reports.
  • Skills / experience: Technical analysis, stakeholder engagement and relevant standards.
  • Possible next step: Sustainability Manager

Sustainability Manager

  • Role overview: Lead sustainability programmes and performance reporting.
  • Typical responsibilities: Set targets, manage projects, coordinate teams and monitor progress.
  • Skills / experience: Programme management, data interpretation and strategic planning.
  • Possible next step: Director of Sustainability

Director of Sustainability

  • Role overview: Set and lead organisation-wide sustainability strategy.
  • Typical responsibilities: Oversee governance, investment priorities, external reporting and senior stakeholder engagement.
  • Skills / experience: Executive leadership, policy knowledge and commercial understanding.
  • Possible next step: Senior leadership, consultancy or specialist progression, depending on the organisation.
Back to the Tree

Arboriculture

Junior Arborist

  • Role overview: Support tree surveys, inspections and tree management work.
  • Typical responsibilities: Collect tree data, assist inspections, update records and prepare basic reports.
  • Skills / experience: Tree identification, accurate recordkeeping and willingness to learn.
  • Possible next step: Arborist

Arborist

  • Role overview: Assess, manage or maintain trees, depending on the employer.
  • Typical responsibilities: Conduct inspections or practical tree works, document findings and recommend action.
  • Skills / experience: Tree biology, relevant qualifications and safe working practices.
  • Possible next step: Senior Arborist

Senior Arborist

  • Role overview: Handle complex tree management tasks and advise junior staff.
  • Typical responsibilities: Lead surveys, interpret defects, produce reports and support planning decisions.
  • Skills / experience: Substantial technical experience, reporting and professional judgement.
  • Possible next step: Principal Arborist

Principal Arborist

  • Role overview: Provide expert technical leadership for arboricultural projects.
  • Typical responsibilities: Review complex assessments, advise clients and set technical standards.
  • Skills / experience: Advanced expertise, consultancy skills and leadership.
  • Possible next step: Head of Arboriculture

Head of Arboriculture

  • Role overview: Lead an organisation’s arboricultural service or function.
  • Typical responsibilities: Set policy, manage budgets and teams, oversee tree risk and stakeholder priorities.
  • Skills / experience: Strategic management, arboricultural expertise and governance.
  • Possible next step: Senior leadership, consultancy or specialist progression, depending on the organisation.
Back to the Tree

Gardening and Horticulture

Gardener

  • Role overview: Maintain gardens, planted areas and landscapes to a high standard.
  • Typical responsibilities: Planting, pruning, weeding, watering, soil preparation and safe tool use.
  • Skills / experience: Plant knowledge, practical gardening skills, teamwork and attention to detail.
  • Possible next step: Skilled Gardener

Skilled Gardener

  • Role overview: Undertake more complex horticultural work independently.
  • Typical responsibilities: Specialist pruning, plant health monitoring, propagation and seasonal planning.
  • Skills / experience: Strong plant identification, horticultural qualifications or equivalent experience.
  • Possible next step: Senior Gardener

Senior Gardener

  • Role overview: Lead day-to-day horticultural activities and support colleagues.
  • Typical responsibilities: Allocate tasks, maintain quality, mentor staff and coordinate seasonal works.
  • Skills / experience: Extensive horticultural experience, supervision and planning skills.
  • Possible next step: Head Gardener

Head Gardener

  • Role overview: Take overall responsibility for a garden’s horticultural standards.
  • Typical responsibilities: Set maintenance plans, lead teams, manage budgets and liaise with stakeholders.
  • Skills / experience: Advanced horticultural knowledge, people management and budgeting.
  • Possible next step: Estate Manager

Estate Manager

  • Role overview: Oversee the grounds, facilities and operational upkeep of an estate.
  • Typical responsibilities: Coordinate contractors, grounds programmes, compliance and resources.
  • Skills / experience: Operational management, contractor oversight and financial awareness.
  • Possible next step: Gardens Director

Gardens Director

  • Role overview: Provide strategic leadership for gardens and horticultural programmes.
  • Typical responsibilities: Set long-term vision, oversee senior teams, fundraising or budgets and visitor priorities.
Back to the Tree