Start Your Career in Parks, Gardens & Green Spaces
Grow a greener future — and your career. Help shape and maintain vibrant landscapes that keep communities healthy, active, and connected to nature.
From school grounds and city parks to sports fields and rooftop gardens, this pathway offers rewarding, hands-on work in living environments. Whether you’re mowing, planting, pruning or planning, you’ll play a vital role in sustainability, biodiversity, and outdoor wellbeing.
Overview
If you love working outdoors, caring for plants, using machinery, or managing lush lawns, this pathway is for you. Careers in this field focus on the upkeep of public and private green spaces — from local parks and sports fields to rooftop gardens and resort grounds.
Whether you're mowing turf, pruning trees, managing irrigation, or leading a garden maintenance crew, you'll enjoy meaningful, active work with visible results and real opportunities to grow.
- Residential garden and turf care businesses
- Commercial garden and landscape maintenance contractors
- Local councils and government maintenance teams
- Schools, hospitals, aged care and university grounds
- Sports facilities, stadiums, and golf courses
- Landscape supply, irrigation, and turf management companies
- Green infrastructure projects (green roofs, urban gardens, rooftop spaces)
Career Pathways in Parks, Gardens & Green Spaces
Apprentice – Parks & Gardens
Start your career with hands-on, paid training.
Landscape Maintenance Technician
Maintain outdoor spaces, turf, and plant health.
Horticulturist
Care for plants and improve garden health.
Arborist
Maintain tree safety, health, and structure.
Landscape Educator
Teach landscaping skills to the next generation.
Nursery Grower
Grow and care for plants in nurseries.
Nursery Hand
Support plant care, potting, and nursery upkeep.
Landscape Estimator
Quote landscape projects and support project planning.
Training & Qualifications Required
Certificate II in Parks & Gardens (AHC20624)
Great for school-based pathways or pre-apprenticeship experience.
Certificate III in Parks & Gardens (AHC31024)
The core qualification for this field, often completed as an apprenticeship.
Certificate III in Horticulture (AHC30722)
For those focusing more on planting and horticultural skills.
Certificate III in Sports Turf Management (AHC31324)
Ideal for greenkeepers or turf specialists.
Certificate IV in Horticulture (AHC40422)
For team leaders, consultants, or those moving into specialist roles.
Career Progression & Pathways
Careers in green space management offer strong progression — many start hands-on and grow into leadership, technical, or business roles.
Starter
Landscape Labourer – Maintenance, Apprentice – Parks & Gardens, Mowing Contractor, Groundskeeper
Skilled
Landscape Maintenance Technician, Horticulturist, Turf Technician, Irrigation Specialist
Advanced
Arborist, Maintenance Team Leader, Trainer & Assessor, Operations or Contracts Manager, Business Owner – Maintenance
“Maintaining beautiful parks and gardens is rewarding work. It’s about caring for the spaces that bring people joy — and learning new skills every single day.”
