Apprentice Parks and Gardens

Temporary Full-Time (Four Years)

Are you looking to kick start your career? Obtain a Nationally Recognised Qualification and valuable experience in Parks and Gardens with an Apprenticeship at Lake Mac Council

- Earn while you learn – Get paid while you study a Certificate III in Parks and Gardens

- Gain valuable skills while being mentored by highly skilled professionals

- Make a difference and positively contribute to our community

Lake Macquarie City Council is one of the largest employers of training positions in the Hunter region. The Apprentice Parks and Gardens role is part of Council’s Early Careers Program – designed to provide you with on-the-job experience, mentoring and support from highly skilled professionals, all while you complete a formal qualification. Additional benefits include paid course fees and paid study time while gaining valuable skills and experience. Earn while you learn and kick‑start your career with Lake Mac Council

ABOUT THE JOB

Are you passionate about the outdoors and looking to kickstart your career in Parks and Gardens? Join our team to complete a four-year apprenticeship and work towards completing a Certificate III in Parks and Gardens, supported by Lake Macquarie City Council. As an Apprentice in Parks and Gardens, you’ll gain hands‑on experience, build technical knowledge, and develop practical skills in vegetation maintenance while seeing beautiful sites across Lake Mac. Training will be delivered both on the job and through formal study at your designated TAFE campus.

In this role, you will be supported to:

- Perform a variety of vegetation maintenance tasks including mowing, pruning, planting, mulching, weeding, fertilising, litter collection, spraying, and basic equipment operation and maintenance.

- Work in accordance with legislative requirements, standard operating procedures, and safety and environmental guidelines.

- Build strong customer service skills while engaging with internal teams, external customers, and stakeholders.

- Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives and represent Council in a professional and positive manner.

- Successfully complete all training and competency requirements to achieve your Certificate III in Parks and Gardens within the apprenticeship timeframe.

The position involves travel to multiple areas within Lake Macquarie. You will be required to work 38 hours per week, Monday to Friday, and occasionally on weekends work with notice.

Read the position statement to learn more.

Candidates who have completed a Certificate III in Parks and Gardens qualification or higher may not be eligible to apply.

WHAT WE OFFER

- Receive a wage whilst studying towards a qualification starting from $611.50 to $841.02 per week plus 12 per cent superannuation

- Payment of all course fees

- Paid time to study and attend compulsory classes

- Adverse Working Conditions Allowance per hour $0.52

- Yearly pay reviews and increases based on performance

- 38 hour working week with 4-day work week

- Four weeks paid annual leave

- Be mentored and work closely with Team of qualified Tradespeople in a supportive, empowering, innovative and collaborative work environment

- At Lake Macquarie City Council, we value our staff and the hard work they do. In return we offer a range of benefits click here to view more benefits on offer

ABOUT YOU

- Have a minimum of Year 10 High School Certificate (or finishing Year 10 this year) with satisfactory results including a minimum pass in General Mathematics and English

- Are interested in undertaking a trade in Parks and Gardens

- Are committed to completing the training course requirements over four years, whilst completing the prescribed training and personal development

- Enjoy working in a team and a fast‑paced work environment

- Have a positive attitude and are reliable to carry out your duties

- Have practical literacy and numeracy skills, ability to communicate effectively both oral and written

- Hold a minimum of Provisional Drivers License or willingness to obtain prior to commencement

- Have a driven passion to maintain a beautiful, accessible and well‑maintained outdoor space for our community to enjoy

- Are committed to developing an understanding of workplace health and safety

- Are eager to provide a high level of customer service to the community.

HOW TO APPLY

If this job sounds like you, we would love to hear from you Get your application in by midnight, Sunday 9 November 2025.

- Check out the FAQs and Guide to Applying before starting your application.

- Click the ‘Apply Now’ button below to start your application. You will need to upload a resume and provide responses to application questions based on the position statement.

- For enquiries about the role, contact Murray O’Brien, Coordinator Sports Field Maintenance, 02 4921 0630, or via email mobrien@lakemac.nsw.gov.au.

- You will hear back from us by Thursday 13 November and interviews will be held on Friday 28 November.

- To view the Capability Framework – Role Profile relevant to this role, please click here.

- If you need assistance with your application, any adjustments to be made to the recruitment process or if you would like to discuss any accessibility requirements, please contact Isabelle Field, Early Careers Advisor for a confidential discussion on 02 4921 0022 or via email ifield@lakemac.nsw.gov.au or click here for more information.

Our people shape the future of our city. We’re proud of our city and the work we do to make our city even better for the community, and we know you will be too. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating a safe and inclusive workforce that empowers our staff to be creative, innovative, bold and most importantly – to be yourself We welcome and encourage applications from all ages and genders, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from culturally diverse backgrounds, the LGBTIQ+ community, refugees, and people with disability. We understand the skills and attributes veterans can bring to our Council. As part of the recruitment process, prior to an offer of employment being made, recommended candidates may be subject to a medical assessment which may include alcohol and other drugs testing.

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