Horticulture is a great career choice if you like to work outdoors and there many different industry sectors that offer varied types of jobs and career paths. Maxima has been involved with the Horticulture Industry since 1986 and offers training from 'pre-voc' to advanced diploma level.

Career pathways

The table below indicates the career pathways and types of jobs associated with each level of qualification. Links provide information about the course structure, available units and cost for 'user pays' enrolments.

Characteristics of the horticulture industry workforce

The Arboriculture Industry

The Arboriculture Industry is a specialist horticultural industry that can be found in all States and Territories across Australia. Many arborists operate as private contractors while others are employed by Local and State Government agencies.

The work of arborists can comprise the following:

• maintenance and management of trees in private and public gardens, parks and streetscapes,
• removal and transplanting of large trees,
• protection and rehabilitation of trees under structural or physical threat,
• provision of advice on tree planting and maintenance,
• evaluation and assessment of tree health and monetary value.

There are a number of associations at State and National level that represent the interests of arborists.

The Floriculture Industry

The Floriculture Industry is found in all States and Territories across Australia. There is a wide diversity in commodity areas and enterprises across the Floriculture sector.

The work undertaken by those employed in the Floriculture sector can comprise the following:

• growing and harvesting of commercial flowers, flower seed, foliage and essential oil crops,
• management and maintenance of filed and controlled growing environments,
• post harvest treatments and production of plant products,
• wild harvesting and processing of commercial flowers, flower seed, foliage and essential oil crops.

The industry is expanding with the impact of greater mechanisation, improved marketing, and advances in plant breeding.

The Landscape Industry

The Landscape Industry is a diverse horticultural industry found in all States and Territories across Australia. There is a wide range of landscape operations across the sector with a key division between those who focus on hardscape construction, which is often linked to the construction industry, and softscape development with a more eclectic approach to plant use and landscape development.

The work undertaken by those employed in the Landscape sector can comprise the following:

• construction and maintenance of domestic and commercial landscapes,
• design of gardens and commercial landscapes,
• rehabilitation and maintenance of urban bushland,
• construction and installation of amenity and recreational landscape structures,
• provision of technical advice and forward estimates on landscape development proposals.

Landscape work is associated with commercial construction, hotel and resort construction, engineering projects along transport corridors, new housing developments, and improvements to residential, commercial and industrial properties.

The Nursery Industry

The Nursery Industry is a specialist horticultural industry that can be found in all States and Territories across Australia. There is a wide diversity of enterprises that comprise the Nursery sector with the major distinction being between production, wholesale and retail nurseries. Some nurseries are involved in two or three sectors.

The work undertaken by those employed in the nursery sector can comprise the following:

• propagation, production and maintenance of plants for sales and/or hire,
• wholesaling and retailing of plants and associated products,
• provision of advice on plant selection and garden design,
• marketing and promotion of plant products and services.

There are a number of associations at State and National level that represent the interests of the industry. Each State has a nursery industry association with affiliations to the national Nursery Industry Association of Australia.

The Parks and Gardens Industry

The Parks and Gardens Industry is a broad horticultural Industry found in all States and Territories across Australia. There is a wide diversity of enterprises in the Parks and Gardens sector.

The work undertaken by those employed in the Parks and Gardens sector can comprise the following:

• management and maintenance of public and private parks, reserves and gardens,
• management and maintenance of natural bushland and community recreation areas,
• management and maintenance of historic, cultural and special use areas such as botanic gardens, cemeteries, recreation parks and institutional lands,
• design and implementation of special plant displays,
• provision of advice for plant selection and use in commercial and domestic situations,
• contract administration and management.

Distribution of this industry is closely allied to centres of population. The industry is undergoing growth as tourism becomes more important and there is greater interest in public health and outdoor recreation.

The Royal Australian Institute of Parks and Recreation (RAIPR) is the predominant national body representing the Parks and Gardens industry and the more broadly-based Australian Institute of Horticulture (AIH) also represents many horticulturists from this sector.

The Turf Industry

The Turf Industry is a horticultural industry that operates in all States and Territories in Australia. It comprises two industry groups, the growing and sale of turf and the care and management of turf.

The work undertaken by those employed in the Turf Industry can comprise the following:

• establishment and maintenance of commercial and recreational turf,
• design and preparation of sports turf playing surfaces,
• domestic mowing and turf maintenance operations,
• commercial growing and supply of turf,
• management of recreational and sport turf facilities,
• provision of technical advice on turf irrigation, pest and disease control and turf management practices.

Turf management work is associated with golf courses, bowling greens, wicket and pitch preparation, racing clubs, institutional and recreational playing fields, commercial growing of turf operations and mowing contractors.

The industry is represented by a number of different State and National bodies, each related to various occupational groups and sectors within the industry.

Further information

More information about the structure and requirements to gain a qualification from the Amentity Horticulture Training Package (RTF03) can be found here. [link open in a new window].

If you want to do a Certificate in Horticulture as an Australian Apprentice, Maxima may be able to help through our Group Training services. Check out the Apprenticeships and traineeships pages.

Employers wanting Australian Apprentices in this field will find our Group Training services a convenient way to meet their needs. Alternatively, you can nominate us to train your Australian Apprentices under 'User Choice' provisions, with almost all the cost of the training subsidised.

Contact us for costs, times and more information.