Level 6 (Degree) Environmental Practitioner

Do you want to be in an ever growing employment sector, with organisations of all types seeking to promote sustainable growth? If so, read on to find out how the level 6 degree environmental practitioner apprenticeship could help start a new career. Alternatively, you could change roles within your current organisation and complete the apprenticeship training

Jobs and entry criteria for the apprenticeship

The environmental practitioner apprenticeship provides opportunities for an apprentice to learn the skills required to perform typical daily roles. These include tasks such as creating, planning, and coordinating the timely delivery of highly complex technical input, advice and guidance, identifying and addressing issues that arise, and refining the approach to be taken, to environmental projects. The environmental practitioner apprenticeship provides an excellent opportunity for starting on a pathway that offers excellent career progression opportunities. You can future proof your career by using the level 6 degree environmental practitioner apprenticeship as a starting point. You may even be able to use experience picked up in this role to boost you to further progression opportunities!

Practitioners will also be aware and responsible for:

  • initiation, coordination, and management of technical input from a wide range of specialists,
  • ensuring projects and programmes are planned and delivered effectively and in a timely manner
  • the compliance and review of these projects with relevant regulatory requirements
  • line management or development responsibilities for other team members, such as Environmental Technicians
  • their own capability and capacity and seek help from others such as specialist technical experts to support them in their role
  • operating effectively within their organisational, financial, and resource constraints and policies, and being compliant with statutory safety and employment regulations
  • maintaining high levels of professional conduct, ethical behaviour and integrity at all times

Environmental Practitioners can also be involved in a range of more specialist fields covering air quality, acoustics, ecology, landscape, heritage and water resources, and as such this can be reflected in job titles such as Air Quality Engineer, Acoustics Engineer, Energy Engineer, Energy and Renewables Engineer, Waste Planner, Water Environmental Consultant, Water and Flood Risk Consultant, Flood Risk Advisor, Cities Engineer, Energy Manager, Sustainability Architect, or Environmental Regulatory Consultant.

Qualifications

Apprentices without level 2 English and maths will need to achieve this level prior to taking the End-Point Assessment. For those with an education, health and care plan or a legacy statement, the apprenticeship’s English and maths minimum requirement is Entry Level 3. A British Sign Language (BSL) qualification is an alternative to the English qualification for those whose primary language is BSL.

Professional recognition

This standard aligns with the following professional recognition:

  • Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) for Practitioner (PIEMA)
  • Institute of Environmental Sciences (IES) for Associate Member
  • Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) for Chartered Environmental Surveyor (MRICS)
  • Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) for Non-Chartered Member (MCIWEM)
  • Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM) for Associate member
  • Society for the Environment for REnvTech

Conclusion

As you can see, the level 6 degree environmental practitioner is an excellent starting point for anyone looking to pursue a career in environmental science. The core skills covered in the apprenticeship will open up a wide range of job opportunities. In addition, you will earn while you learn and excellent progression opportunities exist to advance your career, not to mention your degree! Employers are keen to use apprenticeship to shape how their employees learn and progress. The type of job roles that will open up over the coming years could be endless for anyone that commits their future to a career in environmental science.

For a more technical look at this apprenticeship, you should check out the full job role here