Provide expert advice on the woodlands and forests.
This occupation is found in governmental, non-governmental, private, public, charitable and local authority organisations in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland that have an interest in forestry and woodland creation and management. Landowning organisations, e.g. Local Authorities or private estates, may employ their own Professional Foresters, whereas private landowners, e.g. farmers, may bring one in as a consultant.
The broad purpose of the occupation is to provide expert technical advice on the planning, creation, management, harvesting and utilisation of woodlands and forests (known as silviculture). Professional Foresters form the link between landowners, contractors and timber-buyers, providing technical expertise to inform and manage delivery of sustainable multi-purpose forest management outcomes in relation to the UK Government’s Forestry Act. Expertise in forest and woodland carbon accounting and land use change are becoming increasingly important for Professional Foresters who will be responsible for writing Woodland Management Plans (WMPs), Forest Design Plans (FDPs) and Woodland Creation Design Plans (WCDPs), using expert knowledge of legislation, regulation and silvicultural good practice, and will be responsible for overseeing the implementation of those plans.
Professional Foresters will be integral to the achievement of Government targets for delivery of public goods under the 25-Year Plan for the Environment, and Net Zero 2050 targets for carbon reduction. In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with landowners and agents, statutory bodies, local authorities, local & national interest groups, ecologists, engineers and other professional experts, timber buyers, contractors, suppliers, colleagues, volunteers and the public. In many cases Professional Foresters will be required to understand how forestry fits into the wider land-management planning of a given client or organisation and will liaise with other stakeholders to manage conflicting pressures and achieve complementary outcomes. The uniquely long-term nature of forest planning cycles means that many Professional Foresters will have long-term professional relationships with their clients, sometimes spanning decades. In some cases, especially hardwood silviculture, management decisions made by a Professional Forester now may not even come to fruition in their or their clients’ lifetime.
An employee in this occupation will be responsible for:
Community forester
District forester
Forest and woodland advisor
Forest manager
Forest officer
Forester
Forestry consultant
Head forester
Planning forester
Social forester
Woodland creation officer
Woodland officer
This is a summary of the key things that you – the apprentice and your employer need to know about your end-point assessment (EPA). You and your employer should read the EPA plan for the full details. It has information on assessment method requirements, roles and responsibilities, and re-sits and re-takes.
An EPA is an assessment at the end of your apprenticeship. It will assess you against the knowledge, skills, and behaviours (KSBs) in the occupational standard. Your training will cover the KSBs. The EPA is your opportunity to show an independent assessor how well you can carry out the occupation you have been trained for.
Your employer will choose an end-point assessment organisation (EPAO) to deliver the EPA. Your employer and training provider should tell you what to expect and how to prepare for your EPA.
The length of the training for this apprenticeship is typically 36 months. The EPA period is typically 6 months.
The overall grades available for this apprenticeship are:
When you pass the EPA, you will be awarded your apprenticeship certificate.
The EPA gateway is when the EPAO checks and confirms that you have met any requirements required before you start the EPA. You will only enter the gateway when your employer says you are ready.
The gateway requirements for your EPA are:
For the professional forester (integrated degree), the qualification required is:
BSc (Hons) Forest Management
Project with report
You will complete a project and write a report. You will be asked to complete a project. The title and scope must be agreed with the EPAO at the gateway. The report should be a maximum of 6000 words (with a 10% tolerance).
You will have 12 weeks to complete the project and submit the report to the EPAO.
You need to prepare and give a presentation to an independent assessor. Your presentation slides and any supporting materials should be submitted at the same time as the project output. The presentation with questions will last at least 60 minutes. The independent assessor will ask at least 5 questions about the project and presentation.
Professional discussion underpinned by a portfolio of evidence
You will have a professional discussion with an independent assessor. It will last 60 minutes. They will ask you at least 12 questions. The questions will be about certain aspects of your occupation. You need to compile a portfolio of evidence before the EPA gateway. You can use it to help answer the questions.
You should speak to your employer if you have a query that relates to your job.
You should speak to your training provider if you have any questions about your training or EPA before it starts.
You should receive detailed information and support from the EPAO before the EPA starts. You should speak to them if you have any questions about your EPA once it has started.Reasonable adjustments
If you have a disability, a physical or mental health condition or other special considerations, you may be able to have a reasonable adjustment that takes this into account. You should speak to your employer, training provider and EPAO and ask them what support you can get. The EPAO will decide if an adjustment is appropriate.
This apprenticeship aligns with Institute of Chartered Foresters for Professional Membership (MICFor)
Please contact the professional body for more details.
| Version | Change detail | Earliest start date | Latest start date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 | End-point assessment plan revised. Distinction criteria removed from stakeholder engagement and relationship management theme. Clarified that the project should provide a business benefit and research, information and data created or obtained pre gateway can inform the project report. | 14/03/2025 | Not set |
| 1.1 | Standard, end-point assessment plan and funding revised. | 24/08/2022 | 13/03/2025 |
| 1.0 | Approved for delivery | 03/08/2021 | 23/08/2022 |
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