Countryside Ranger Apprentice

You'll help care for the National Cycle Network and surrounding land across the Walk Wheel Cycle Trust Estate in the West Midlands. This hands-on apprenticeship builds skills in pathway maintenance, habitat management, and repairs, working with experienced staff, volunteers, and partners.

What you'll do

Due to the driving aspect of this role you will need a full clean UK driving licence.

Looking for an active career where each day varies? This Level 4 apprenticeship is a great opportunity to work outdoors, learn practical skills, and make a real difference.

You'll be part of a small, supportive team maintaining cycle paths and green spaces, using tools and machinery, driving across sites, and helping protect spaces for wildlife and communities. You'll oversee tasks such as record maintenance and supervising contractors.

From working with volunteers, running events, learning how to safely use power tools and manage land, you'll gain valuable, real-world experience while building confidence and skills for your future.

If you enjoy being outdoors, staying active, and working with people, this could be the ideal apprenticeship for you.

Training

Countryside Ranger Level 4 Apprenticeship Standard:

• Level 4 Countryside Ranger- Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours
• LANTRA Level 3 Award in Emergency First Aid at Work
• C&G/NPTC 0014-26 L2 Award in the Safe Use of Brush-cutters and Trimmer
• Work towards qualifications for plant and ride on mowers (NPTC or equivalent)
• Work towards qualifications in chainsaw use, strimmers (NPTC or equivalent)
• Work towards qualifications PA1 and PA6 application of pesticides (NPTC or equivalent)

After the apprenticeship

• A permanent post may be available for suitable candidates on successful completion of the apprenticeship

Skills

• Communication skills
• Attention to detail
• Organisation skills
• Team working
• Physical fitness

Qualifications

• Essential: GCSE, English (grade 4/C or above)
• Essential: GCSE, Maths (grade 4/C or above)
• Desired: GCSE, Science (grade 4/C or above)

Things to consider

• The work can be physically demanding and in all weathers
• Interviews week commencing 02 November
• Attendance is required at UCS College Group for a weeks block release on two occasions during the apprenticeship and for the rangers mandatory tickets (typically two days)

About the employer

If our streets were safer, if our air was cleaner. If we connected with our communities. If we reconnected with the world around us.

If every person in every community could connect with the things that matter to them safely, healthily and joyfully.

If our everyday actions added up to something much, much bigger. Imagine if one small change could do all that.

We've been making that change happen since 1977.

Making it possible for every one of us to roll, ride, amble, gambol, stroll, stride, trek and tread.

And today, we're gearing up to do more than ever.

Uniting under a new name for Sustrans and a renewed mission to deliver more joy per journey, more peace per pedal, more smiles per mile.

To work with communities to effect change on the ground and evidence the impact to influence policies that push those changes further. It's grassroots action with added oomph.

We call it people-powered movement.

Apprenticeship details

• Course: Countryside ranger (level 4), Agriculture, environmental and animal care
• Apprenticeship level: Higher (level 4)
• Training provider: BRIDGWATER AND TAUNTON COLLEGE
• Expected duration: 2 Years
• Hours: 37.5 hours a week. Working week: Monday to Friday with occasional weekend work, shifts to be confirmed.
• Start date: 7 December 2026
• Positions available: 1
• Wage: £25,074 a year