- Duration
2 years full time
- Attendance
- 3 days per week
- Location
- Plumpton College
Course Overview
If you’re either at college or working in the forestry industry, choosing to study Level 3 at Plumpton is an excellent choice for the next stage of your career.
Building on all of the skills and knowledge that you already have, you’ll get to spend lots of time understanding tree and woodland care at our excellent facilities here at Plumpton. With over 800 hectares of land for you to explore, you’ll be choosing the perfect location.
These are a suite of level 3 qualifications (equivalent to A level) which can be studied in a variety of combinations to allow flexibility and to help you to develop your arboricultural and forestry skills along with increasing your underpinning knowledge and understanding of tree and woodland care.
This course is designed to prepare people for entry to the forestry or arboriculture industries as an operator and includes a wide range of skills and knowledge.
Year 1 of the programme will cover primarily arboricultural and tree care skills and will also include plant and soil science and machinery operation.
Year 2 will cover forestry skills, estate skills and more advanced arboricultural skills and knowledge. There will generally be more theory based sessions in the second year.
Work Experience
Study programmes include a minimum of compulsory work experience hours achieved through one day a week or block placements. The amount of hours required is dependent on the study programme.
Careers Hub
We offer impartial careers guidance to all of our students, email careers@plumpton.ac.uk to explore your next step or to book an appointment – we’re here to help.
Industry Work Placement
All students aged 16-18 on our Level 2 & Level 3 programmes will now have to take part in an exciting and compulsory 50-day industry placement programme alongside completion of their vocational course. The programme will give you the chance to gain valuable skills in a real working environment whilst being paired with your ideal employer.
Our mission is to pair students with their ideal employer and to support them continuously during the placement.
There is flexibility on how students complete the placement; it can be during non-college weekdays, weekends, in blocks or over the holiday period. You will receive all of the necessary information during your interview, and if you have any queries in the meantime please contact workexperience@plumpton.ac.uk
Entry Requirements
Either:
- You’ll need to have achieved 5 or more GCSEs between Grade 9-4 (previous grade structure A-C) including English, Maths and a Science
- Successful completion of a related Level 2 qualification at merit or above and GCSE maths or English at grade c/4 or above
Mature students without the above requirements will be considered
What is it like to be a student on this course?
During my course I really enjoyed all the climbing and learning new techniques to access the canopy. The classroom side of the the course was really good too; I gained a great deal of knowledge to support my practical skills.
Bursaries
Financial support could be available to you depending on your household income, eligibility criteria, and level of study. A bursary, which is money given directly by the Government, could help fund bus travel, accommodation, course equipment, college meals, or educational trips.
Course Fees
Students aged 16-18 on 31st August in the year of starting the course do not pay tuition fees.
Students aged 19-23 studying their Level 1, 2 or first Level 3 may be entitled to tuition fee waiver depending on criteria eligibility.
Students aged 24+ who are studying a second Level 3 course or aged 24+ who are studying their first Level 3 course will have to pay tuition fees, depending on the course.
Students on low income who can prove they earn less than £25,000 (from September 2024); are unemployed; or receive state benefits could be entitled to a tuition fee waiver.
All students pay a standard facility fee of £150 to use communal, non-educational facilities.
Material fees apply to Floristry, Blacksmithing and Metalwork, Agricultural Engineering, and Motor Vehicle students, which contribute to quality resources and equipment for their studies.
Equipment & PPE
Students on a 14-16, Level 1, 2, 3, or Foundation Learning course may be required to purchase equipment such as a uniform, PPE, or kit before starting their course. Material fees are applicable depending depending on the course studied.
Work Experience
Work experience enhances your studies and is an important part of your course. It ensures you leave college ready for the world of work. It is compulsory to undertake an element of work experience when studying a Level 1, 2, or 3 course.
