Zoe Basham joined the Royal Parks Apprentice team in 2008. Zoe works as a Gardener for Turfsoil Ltd, a contractor to The Royal Parks, based at Greenwich Park in south east London.

How would you outline your main role?
I am part of a team who maintain the Park. I work four days per week at Greenwich Park and spend one day a week at Capel Manor College.

What are your main responsibilities?
I carry out a wide range of gardening and horticultural tasks, including mowing and grass cutting, hedge trimming, weeding, planting out bedding and pruning shrubs.

What hours do you work?
I have an early start at 7.00am and finish at 4.00pm, with a 3.00pm finish on Fridays. I am also on the rota for weekends, working 4.00pm to 8.00pm one weekend in six, for which I get time off in lieu.

What is your work environment like?
It's very enjoyable; I work in one of the finest parks in London and meet many members of the public. Everyone is really friendly and gets on well and my colleagues are always willing to help. Although I am one of only two females within the workforce, I have not had any problems fitting in.

Who do you work with?
I work as part of quite a large team of around 30 to 40 people depending on the time of year. Most are gardeners, while there are other members of staff who drive refuse collection vehicles or road sweepers.

What skills or qualities do you need?
I am starting to learn horticultural skills as I progress at work and college so you don't necessarily need many to start with. You need to be a hands-on person who is not afraid of hard physical work, often in the cold or the rain. My job also requires a fair amount of common sense!

Why did you choose this type of work?
I originally trained to be a florist, but felt I didn't want to be stuck inside all day as I like working outdoors in a practical job.

What training have you done?
My training is very wide-ranging. I have learnt a lot about gardening and horticulture at work, particularly how to use machinery and I am working towards my NVQ Levels 2 and 3 in Amenity Horticulture, which are assessed by my supervisor. I have also been studying towards the Royal Horticultural Society Certificate in Horticulture. As well as this I have received training in the Safe Use of Pesticides and in First Aid.

Do you use any special tools or equipment?
I use a wide range of machinery including walk-behind and ride-on lawnmowers, hedge trimmers, sprayers, strimmers and tractors. I also drive vans and it is fairly important to have a driving licence to work in this industry.

What do you like/dislike about your job?
I like the environment in which I work; it is nice to be working outdoors in a beautiful park. There are also lots of opportunities for me to learn more and there is a wide range of tasks that need to be carried out, so one day is often very different from the previous one. Working outdoors in the cold and the rain can be a bit of a pain, but my employer provides me with wet-weather clothing and all my protective equipment. Litter picking can be a bit boring, but it has to be done and can actually be good thinking time!

What are the main challenges?
My college studies can be quite a challenge. We are very busy and I have to get work, such as plant profiles and witness statements for my NVQ, completed to the right standard and on time. I will soon be starting garden design, which will be hard work but very interesting. I am looking forward to it.

How do you see your future?
I have another two years of my Apprenticeship to go. I would like to stay on at Greenwich Park for a few years longer and then maybe specialise in an area such as garden design, although I am keeping an open mind at present.

Zoe's route

GCSEs » BTEC National Diploma in floristry at Southwark College » Floristry training and employment » Applied for a Royal Parks Apprenticeship » Appointed as a Royal Parks Apprenticeship with Turfsoil Ltd

Zoe's tips

• Think about an Apprenticeship. I think they're much better than studying full time at college as you get hands-on experience at the same time as gaining formal qualifications.
• When you go for your interview, be prepared to sit tests for numeracy and literacy as well.