About us

At Penrith City Council, we’re passionate about people; in our community and in our workplace. We want you to be able to be your best self and we get that work is just one part of your life, so we’re here to support you in the moments that matter. As the winner of the 2020 Local Government Excellence in People and Culture Award and an Excellence Award winner in the 2020 Australian HR Awards, you can be confident in joining a workplace that offers truly outstanding benefits, including:

• A range of flexible work arrangements
• 18 weeks paid maternity leave
• Health and wellbeing leave
• 15 days personal leave
• Significant financial and leave support for undertaking further education
• Diverse salary packaging
• Free access to all Ripples venues
• And much, much more!

City Presentation delivers a range of services that provide clean, well-presented public spaces in the Penrith Local Government Area. Comprising over 200 qualified and driven staff, areas of opportunity for employment include civil construction and works, horticulture and landscaping, fleet management and workshop servicing, trades and public cleansing and maintenance.

Our team ensures that Council spaces are well maintained and always ready for use by our residents, are sustainable into the future, and significant assets, community buildings, roads, drainage, fleet, parks and open spaces provide the required level of service in a cost-effective manner for present and future residents.

In City Presentation, we seek staff who are organised, take pride in their work, and are willing to go that little bit further to ensure the little details make their work speak for itself. We encourage personal and professional development, and pride ourselves on a culture that encourages staff contribution and involvement.

About the role

We are currently seeking to employ a keen and enthusiastic Nursery Apprentice on a temporary full-time basis for a period up to three (3) years with appointment commencing in July 2025.

As the Nursery Apprentice, you will undertake a range of horticultural tasks associated with the operations of a successful plant production nursery. Day-to-day duties will include plant growing, plant maintenance, irrigation system maintenance, and pest and disease control, as well as liaising with Council staff and customers. This is a development position that incorporates on-the-job training with formal studies in Nursery Operations (Nursery Production) completed at TAFE.

Essential criteria

• A willingness to undertake and complete a TAFE Certificate III in Nursery Operations (Nursery Production)
• An interest in the nursery wholesale and production sector of the horticulture industry
• Ability to provide a high level of customer service
• Experience in planning and coordinating day-to-day activities
• Basic keyboard skills and Microsoft Office literacy
• Demonstrated written and oral communication skills.

Commencing salary: $43,024.80 - $49,280.40 plus 12% superannuation and an Adverse Working Conditions Allowance in accordance with the Local Government (State) Award dependent upon your age.

You will be required to undertake employment checks, which may include a Criminal History Check, Qualification Check, Working with Children Check, Medical Declaration and/or a Functional Test, as relevant to the position for which you have applied. Where a Criminal History Check is required and has returned a result that indicates disclosable court outcomes, you will be required to provide a copy of the report to Penrith City Council, for review, in order to progress through the recruitment process.

Visit careers.penrith.city to view the position description and to find out more information about employment with Penrith City Council. To submit your application, please apply online using the link below.

In addition to a cover letter and resume, applicants are required to submit comprehensive responses to the selection criteria (listed above) as a part of their initial application. Applicants who do not meet the essential criteria will not be considered.

Completed applications must be received by 11.55pm on the closing date. Please allow 4 weeks from the closing date for the processing of your application.

For further information about the position, please contact Mark Viler, Nursery Coordinator, on 4732 8214.

Council is a Child Safe Organisation, for more information about this please see our website.

Applicants must have the right to live and work in Australia to apply for this position.