Arborist

Key information

Reference: ST0223
Date updated: 04/04/2024
Level: 2
Route: Agriculture, environmental and animal care
Regulated occupation: No

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Details of the occupational standard

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Occupation summary

The arboricultural industry manages trees for their benefits and values in diverse urban and rural locations from city parks and urban woodlands, to country estates and private gardens. The industry manages trees adjacent to highways, railways, watercourses and power lines. An arborist may progress to undertake inspections and surveys of individual and woodland trees, advising landowners on how to care for their trees, or teaching others about the benefits of carefully managing trees. The work of an arborist involves diverse activities such as chainsaw work, aerial tree work, pruning, dismantling and using appropriate machinery such as brushwood chippers. Arborists can work for local authorities, private companies and many are also self- employed. Tree work can be physically demanding and involves working outdoors in all weathers. An arborist will undertake aerial tree work but may also be ground-based. They do a range of tree work jobs with indirect supervision. They are capable of supporting the tree work team across a range of basic technical skills.

Typical job titles include:

arborist tree surgeon tree cutter forestry worker woodsman arboricultural officer tree climber landscape gardener

KSBs

Knowledge

K1: The benefits of trees Back to Duty

K2: The use and application of arboricultural equipment Back to Duty

K3: The principles of the establishment, growth and care of trees Back to Duty

K4: The principles and importance of identifying trees and the value of using their scientific names Back to Duty

K5: The principles and importance of identifying and managing pests, diseases and disorders of trees Back to Duty

K6: Current environmental, wildlife and health and safety legislation, standards and codes of practice in relation to arboricultural works Back to Duty

K7: Legislation relating to trees g. Tree Preservation Orders and Conservation Areas Back to Duty

K8: Procedures and specific instructions for dealing with incidents and emergencies Back to Duty

K9: Electrical safety for working in the vicinity of power lines Back to Duty

Skills

S1: Recognise health and safety needs onsite and work safely Back to Duty

S2: Take instruction from the job supervisor and other senior work colleagues to include signing onto the site specific risk assessment / emergency action plan and maintaining records Back to Duty

S3: Select appropriate equipment for the Load and unload equipment safely Back to Duty

S4: Set out work place signage (highway & non highway) and assists with traffic control Back to Duty

S5: Process tree work arisings using appropriate machinery Back to Duty

S6: Take appropriate care of tools, equipment and customer property Back to Duty

S7: Recognise a basic range of tree and shrub species using common and scientific names Back to Duty

S8: Identify pests, diseases, disorders and tree defects Back to Duty

S9: Carry out a range of ground-based pruning operations Back to Duty

S10: Fell and process small trees Back to Duty

S11: Support aerial tree workers both Mobile Elevated Work Platform (MEWP) and climbing with transfer of equipment for aerial tree work operations Back to Duty

S12: Perform an aerial rescue of colleague from a rope and harness and a MEWP Back to Duty

S13: Work safely at height in the tree under supervision Back to Duty

S14: Prepare sites for planting, plant trees and provide support, protection and aftercare Back to Duty

Behaviours

B1: Has a safety mind-set to protect self, colleagues and others Back to Duty

B2: Works effectively within a team/crew Back to Duty

B3: Consistently presents a professional manner both in appearance, language and behaviour Back to Duty

B4: Is reliable: consistently attends work and arrives on time Back to Duty

B5: Communicates effectively with the job supervisor, colleagues, clients and others to achieve the specification Back to Duty

T Level in agriculture, Land Management and Production

Qualification type: T Level

Qualification level: 3

Awarding organisation: City & Guilds

Approval date: 01/06/2023

Available from: 01/09/2023

Occupational specialism: Tree and Woodland Management and Maintenance

Product page

Aligned occupational standards

ST0223 Arborist

ST1321 Forest craftsperson

Options: Forest establishment and maintenance craftsperson , Forest harvesting craftsperson

End-point assessment (EPA plan)

Rigorous robust and independent assessment undertaken by an apprentice at the end of training to test that the apprentice can perform in the occupation they have been trained in and can demonstrate the duties, and knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs) set out in the occupational standard

End-point assessment organisation (EPAO)

An organisation approved to deliver end-point assessment for a particular apprenticeship standard. EPAOs must be on the register of end-point assessment organisations

Holistic or synoptic

Assessment of an apprentice’s knowledge, skills and behaviours in an integrated way i.e. assessing several KSBs at the same time

Knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSB)

What is needed to competently undertake the duties required for an occupational standard

Valid

Referred to in relation to assessment methods; fit for purpose

Change request policy

Most changes to an apprenticeship are made as a result of a holistic review of it. We prioritise the need for such reviews based on a range of factors. These include:

the time since the apprenticeship was developed or last reviewed (taking account of its typical duration)
the existence of any known problems with it (e.g. lower than expected starts, low achievement rate, high withdrawal rate, any issues with the availability of training or end-point assessment provision)
whether the apprenticeship is currently subject to a dispensation
the relative significance of the apprenticeship based on how many users it has

The availability of an employer group to support a review and its potential impact on any related technical education product also inform the timing of a review.

Details of apprenticeships that are currently being revised or adjusted are available in our revisions and adjustments status report.

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