Development Woodland Officer

At the core of the Development Woodland Officer programme is the newly developed Professional Forester Apprenticeship. A degree level apprenticeship offers those on the programme the opportunity to not only study for an industry recognised BSc (Hons) qualification but enjoy a mix of 80% on-the-job training and 20% academic studies. This affords the opportunity to practice and hone newly developed skills in the real world, whilst also being ‘paid to learn’. During the course, Development Woodland Officers will benefit from academic studies in forestry management at the University of Cumbria supported by co-delivery in some areas with the Forestry Commission. This learning will take the form of block release studies at one of the University campuses in Cumbria or from the Forestry Commission training centre at Cannock Chase, which works out on average to be one week every two months. Following these learning modules, apprentices will return to their host Forestry Commission team to consolidate their skills in the real world while also engaging in additional on-the-job training. Apprentices will also gain practical experience with up to nine months of wider sector placements to further build their skills and experience, enhancing future employment prospects. Due to the nature of forestry within the UK, these placements could be anywhere within England, but every effort will be made to minimise travel and consider personal circumstances. Upon completion, successful graduates will earn a Professional Forester Apprenticeship (equivalent to Level 6), a BSc (hons) in Forest Management and the potential to gain Chartered Forester status with the Institute of Chartered Foresters.