Careers

Landscaping is a rich and rewarding career. When no two days are the same and you get to make the most of the beautiful outdoors, who wouldn’t want to join this amazing profession?

The term Landscaper can refer to a variety of professions such as:

• Landscape construction as a Landscape Contractor
• Landscape maintenance as a Horticulturist
• Landscape design as a Landscape Designer

Because landscaping has so many options, initially you need to have think about the area best suited to your skills. In each area there is plenty of room to grow new skills, explore new opportunities and add-on once you have your initial qualification.

Are you already a landscaper and looking for a new position? Visit our Vacant Landscaping Positions Page.

Find a landscaping position

If you are considering starting a career in the Landscaping Industry, read more below about why landscaping could be a great choice for you and how to start your career today.

Why Become a Landscape Professional?

This is a great question with many answers. Landscape professionals have many different reasons why they love their jobs but some of the most common reasons include:

• Working outside – no desks! No office! Just four walls of freedom with blue skies and fresh air.
• Getting highly paid – on average, a qualified landscaper can make over $60 per hour. That’s better than a graduate lawyer.
• Variety of tasks – concreting, decking, irrigation, horticulture, stonework, drainage, paving brickwork, pruning, mowing, mulching, fertilising and planting are just some of the tasks performed by landscape contractors.
• Working with nature – birds, bees and butterflies, worms, plants and turf. Lots and lots of soil.
• Creativity – landscapers may also get the opportunity to design a landscaped space before building it. From plant choice to hard materials, creativity is a key part of landscaping. No two spaces are the same.
• Earn while you learn – learn on the job from highly skilled tradies and only go to TAFE one day a week! There are fee-free apprenticeships and you could graduate debt-free with a job! University graduates leave with huge debts and no job.
• Potentially see your work for years to come – it is satisfying to know that if you build a public space (say a playground at a public park) you can visit that space for years to come and see the satisfaction and joy it brings to the community.
• Getting dirty – the dirtier you are, the harder you’ve been working, you’ll be applauded for it.
• Lots of room for growth – landscapers can continue to grow their skill sets, knowledge and experience. They can also open their own business or specialise in different fields. The sky is the limit!

But don’t just take our word for it. Watch this video to hear directly from those in the industry.

A Variety of Career Paths to Choose From

Most landscaping careers fall broadly into three different fields: landscape construction, landscape maintenance (parks and gardens), and landscape design. Which path is of most interest to you?

Landscape Construction

In the landscape construction field, qualified landscaper contractors are the licensed tradesmen and women who are responsible for constructing almost everything on a property or development that is outside of the main buildings, apartment block or home.

They may, once the landscape is completed, be responsible for the maintenance of the planted areas, however, this is usually left to the landscape maintenance staff.

To read more about the Landscape Construction pathway and study options, click below.

Landscape Construction Careers and Courses

Landscape Maintenance (Parks and Gardens)

In the landscape maintenance field, the qualified horticulturalist works in the parks and gardens sector of the industry. These people specialise in maintaining parks and garden spaces, any area where there are plants (including lawns) that need looking after. The spaces can be anything from small residential gardens to large industrial estates, local council parks and gardens, through to botanical gardens.

To read more about the Landscape Maintenance (Parks and Gardens) pathway and study options, click below.

Landscape Maintenance: Parks and Gardens Careers and Courses

Landscape Design

In the landscape design field Landscape Designers assess, design and prepare landscape projects for a variety of clients from all size residential projects through to larger commercial and industrial projects.

Landscape Designers work closely with landscape contractors, in fact once you have a landscape contractor qualification, it is relatively easy to continue your studies and qualify as a landscape designer.

To read more about Landscape Design pathway and study options, click below.

Landscape Design Careers and Courses