Employment or Job Opportunities

If you're interested in one of our open positions, start by applying here and attaching your CV.

Interested in working outside and learning new skills?

Jamie’s Garden Services currently has the opportunity for someone who can or wants to work on a self-employed basis.
 
So rather than writing out flowery job descriptions, it is best to answer any question that you will have in the following question and answer method. If I have not covered any question you might have, please feel free to ask.

What is Jamie’s Garden Services Looking for in a candidate?
 
- Reliability. 

- Honesty.
- Integrity.
- Motivation.
- Politeness.
- The desire to learn new skills. 

- A positive, can do attitude.
- Enjoying the work you are undertaking.
 
Ideally you would have some experience, and preferably some qualifications in the form of NPTC City & Guilds certificates.
 
However, having qualifications is not a must and would not prevent you from working for the company. For the right person in house induction training and assistance will be given as a gradual progression.
 
For the right person, Jamie’s Garden Services will also give assistance in obtaining your NPTC City & Guilds training and qualifications.
 

Who would be suited for this work?
 
- A young person looking for a career path in life.
- A person who is looking for a change of life style, or career.
- Someone who wants to work outside.
- Someone who wants to do a physical occupation.
- Someone who wants variety in what they do on a day to day basis.
 
What tasks would you be undertaking?
 

The role will involve you being engaged in all aspects of the work that the business undertakes that ranges from Arborcultual and Commercial Grounds Maintenance tasks

. So you will be undertaking a broad spectrum of tasks. 

There will however be a limit on what you can do until qualifications have been undertaken and passed.
 - Some tasks you can undertake with just in-house training. 

- Some tasks you will be able to undertake under supervision.
 - Some tasks you will only be able to undertake when qualified.
 

You would be undertaking work in the following service deliverance:
 

- Grounds Maintenance:
 - Grass Cutting.
 - Strimming / Brush-cutting. 

- Hedge Cutting. 

- Garden Clearances.
 - Fencing / Gates / Decking Installations.
 - Laying Stone or Wood Chip Dressings. 

- (Yes this does involve clearing up as well). 

- Arboricultural / Tree Work:
 - While Unqualified:
 - Assisting qualified operatives on jobs where you will get experience & training. 

- Groundsman Tasks.
 - As you get qualified for different aspects of the job.
 - Groundsman Tasks. 

- Tree Pruning. 

- Tree Felling. 

- (With the Potential for learning Aerial Work, if desired).
 

- Weed Control Services:
 Under Supervision Until Qualified.
 - Lawn Treatments.
 - Weed and Moss Control. 

- Broadleaf Weed Control in Lawns.
 - General Weed Control (Kerb Side, Around Building, Bramble etc).
 - Invasive Plant Species Weed Control (ie; Japanese Knotweed etc). 

Do you need to be physically fit for this job?
 

You don’t need to be athletically fit or spend time down the gym. But, when undertaking the various tasks, the job does involve physical work that can at times be physically demanding, carried out on difficult terrain, in all weather conditions. And, Yes, you will need to break into a sweat at times.

Health and Safety at Work:
 

Jamie’s Garden Services takes Health and Safety at Work very seriously and any employees, Self-employed, or sub-contractor will also be expected to also have the same positive attitude towards Health and Safety. If this is not an area that you have previous experience of and it concerns you, You will be trained to know and understand all relevant aspects that you are required to know and operate under.

Fit for Work, Drink and Drugs Policy:

Due to the nature of the equipment that you will be using, this position would not be suitable for a person who has issues of being under the influence of drink and drugs while in the work place. This would also include prescribed medication from your doctors that would interfere with your ability to safely use the equipment.

JGS forbids staff, Contractors and sub-contractors from being under the influence of alcohol and drugs whilst at work.  

Due regard must also be given to the restriction of staff who are unfit due to injury or tiredness. 

JGS will not condone any breach of any of the above and will consider any failure to comply as a breach of contract.

Personal Conduct:

Staff, contractors, and sub-contractor employees must be dressed in tidy clothing in good repair. PPE  must be worn when required. 

Bare chests and shorts are not permitted. 

Spitting and the use of foul language or aggressive behaviour is not permitted, and will be deemed as a breach of contract.

Health and Safety at Work Act 1974

Jamie’s Garden Services takes its responsibility under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 very seriously. This also includes all the relevant regulations that come under the Act.

All Staff, Contractor's Contractor's, Employees and Sub-Contractor's Employees must/will be made aware of all their duties under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, with particular emphasis on Section 7; the duties of every employee and 8; intentional or reckless interference/misuse.

Staff, Contractorsetc, must pay particular attention to matters of personal hygiene and their professional appearance at all times and especially when they are at a customers property.

PPE:
 

Basic PPE will be provided that will cover any aspect of work that you would be expected to undertake.
Note: Items that are none transferable, like boots, you would be expected to provide yourself.
PPE must, and will be worn at all times in accordance with the work that you are undertaking.

Service Deliverance:
 

Jamie’s Garden Services works for a wide variety of different customers that ranges from:
 - Commercial Businesses. (Business Premises, Industrial Estates, Holiday Lets & Parks). 

- Local Authorities. (Town, Parish, Community, County Councils, Parks and Public Spaces). 

- Government Organisations. (Schools, Police, Social Services).
 - Independent Organisations. (Churches, Care Homes, Trusts Etc). 

- Residential Customers. 

Due to the nature of the work that is undertaken and the client base. This means that there is a large element of trust and integrity placed with Jamie’s Garden Services and any employees or sub-contractors. It also means that the business often has interaction with people in the vunerable persons category, in the form:
 - Minors/Under-Age. 

- People with learning disabilities.
 - People who are elderly or have physical and or mental health disabilities.
 

So any employees or sub-contractors working for Jamie’s Garden Services may at some point, or will be expected to have a ‘Criminal Records Bureau Enhanced Disclosure Check’ undertaken as a condition of working for or at some clients locations. Accepting any offer for employment (Full, Part-Time, Sub-Contract etc) is a condition of being offered any such opportunity of work.
 

You should therefore not be in a positions of conflict when applying for any work with Jamie’s Garden Services on these grounds.
 

Why is Jamie’s Garden Services only offering opportunities of work on a self-employed basis at the moment?
 

Currently Jamie’s Garden Services does not have enough work to offer a full time position and the seasonal nature of the works has an effect of how much work can be undertaken. This also varies dependent on the time of year.
 

At this stage, Jamie’s Garden Services will be able to offer a lot of work during the main period of Gardening / Grounds Maintenance season. But during the winter period there is less work to undertake. However, this is beginning to change and as a result, it may lead to a full time opportunity arising for the right person.
 

If you have never been self employed before, this should not deter you from considering or applying for work on a self-employed basis. As help to get you started can also be given.
 

It is the intention of Jamie’s Garden Services to eventually be running a small team of employed personnel as the business develops. So this could be a long term option for anyone undertaking work on a self-employed basis at this stage.
 

What will I be paid when working for Jamie’s Garden Services?

Technically you will be paid based on an hourly rate. But it is unfair in my opinion not to book you in for a full or half days rate. So you will generally be booked by the day based on 8x hours, unless a half day is agreed in advance.
 

You will be paid at an hourly rate that will be based on what your abilities, qualifications and work ethic shows. I have never believed in paying minimum wage because I always expect more than a minimum effort from someone.
 

The more you bring to the business, will be reflected in how you are rewarded.

How quickly does Jamie’s Garden Services pay it’s self-employed or sub-contractors?
 

Jamie’s Garden Services always encourages its self-employed or sub-contractors to get their invoices in straight away, or at the end of the week so that payment is promptly paid. In most cases if an invoice is received at the end of the week / that weekend. It will be paid that weekend or by the Monday morning.
 

This all sounds good, But because I don’t have any qualifications in this field, I have some concerns about the implications that are involved in undertaking them! 

This should not be a concern. As it is always in your benefit to get these qualifications. Jamie’s Garden Services would be willing to help and offer some support in helping you progress. The more you progress, the better the rewards.
 

Jamie’s Garden Services wants anyone working with the business to be happy in what they are doing and enjoying the job.
 

So please have a good look around the the businesses website and Facebook page to see what is involved. If you think it is for you, please feel free to contact me and have a chat about taking things forward.
 

Jamie Jones