Park warden

Park wardens make sure that parks are suitable for the public to use. Their work can include any of a number of different roles, such as ground maintenance and managing sports facilities.

Work activities

Park wardens are responsible for one or more parks in a particular area. Some wardens manage various park facilities, such as bowling greens, tennis courts or putting greens. However, the work is often more concerned with ground maintenance duties, such as mowing, tidying and raking lawns.

Park wardens make sure that the park, its buildings and amenities are kept clean, tidy, in a reasonable state of repair and safe to use. They are usually responsible for reporting any vandalism or antisocial behaviour to the police.

Where sports facilities are available, wardens take bookings and issue tickets. Records are kept of cash taken and facilities used by the general public. They may also help to staff food and drink facilities.

Some park wardens work in more than one park, so they travel between them. Administration duties are done in a central office or in a van. Some park wardens are responsible for working with school or community groups and, in some places, co-ordinating volunteer workers. Protective clothing is worn for gardening tasks.

Personal qualities and skills

As a park warden, you need:

• Good people skills and a friendly attitude.
• The communication skills needed to answer enquiries and explain rules and regulations.
• The ability to calmly handle any problems that arise.
• General practical skills and horticultural skills.
• Honesty and reliability.

Pay and opportunities

According to the Nation Careers Service, countryside rangers (an area of work which encompasses park wardens) can expect to earn between £20,000 and £28,000, working 34-44 hours per week.

Weekend work and shift work may be required, especially during the summer months. Part-time work is available in some areas.

Opportunities for park wardens occur in towns and cities throughout the UK. Employers are mostly local authorities.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised in local newspapers, and on the Government’s Find a Job and Find an Apprenticeship service.

Entry routes and training

Employers usually look for people who have some experience in horticultural or grounds work. A level 4 (higher) apprenticeship in the role of countryside ranger will also help you to get into this job.

Training is mostly on-the-job, often leading to relevant work-based qualifications. Training may cover use of equipment, first aid or customer care, for example.

Experience in this job can lead to work as a countryside warden or ranger, for example. Alternatively, if horticulture is a major part of the work, this is an area you could move into.

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act: Working with children and young people aged under 18 in this career can be an exception to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. This means that you must supply information to an employer about any spent or unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings, if they ask you to. This is different from other careers, where you only have to reveal information on unspent convictions if you are asked to.

Qualifications

If you wish to enter this career through a higher apprenticeship, you will need two relevant A-levels plus GCSEs in English and maths.

Adult opportunities

Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Adult entry is quite common. A relevant background in outdoor work, such as in amenity horticulture, groundskeeping or conservation work, can be useful. Those with practical skills in gardening, or a background in customer service, have a good chance of entry. In some parts of the country, there may be opportunities to enter this work through government-funded training programmes. Details are available from Jobcentre Plus or the National Careers Service.

Related careers

• Civil enforcement officer
• Countryside ranger
• Farm worker
• Forest worker
• Golf greenkeeper