Australia’s landscaping industry is diverse and complex. This isn’t fully captured in any national system, making it difficult for industry to access workforce development support.
Industry stakeholders have raised concerns about access to suitable training, formal recognition, jurisdictional variation, and poor alignment between qualifications, regulation and real-world practice.
Skills Insight and state landscaping associations are leading this project to identify and map landscaping job titles, roles, skills and knowledge at a national level. This will create a clearer picture of the industry, the capabilities it needs, and the career pathways it can offer.
The project will examine whether current landscape-related qualifications reflect contemporary and emerging expectations. It will also identify whether the diversity, skill levels and scope of contemporary landscaping practice are accurately reflected in national workforce and data systems.
Findings will inform future training and workforce development activities to ensure landscape careers are more visible and supported, and the industry can access the skilled workforce it needs.
Stakeholders around the country are being consulted on current job roles, skills needs and regulations to develop a holistic view of the industry.
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Opportunities for input
Skills Review questionnaire
You are invited to complete this 10-15 minute questionnaire to help us build a full and accurate picture of the industry. Responses will be collected from 19 March to 16 April 2026.
Online workshops
Two online sessions are scheduled for you to learn about the project, identify skills and knowledge requirements, and discuss the future of the industry.
Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show (MIFGS)
The project team will attend MIFGS 2026 on Thursday 26 and Friday 27 March, from 11am onwards. We hope to connect with a wide variety of individuals involved in the landscaping industry.
Initial consultations and findings
This project is being undertaken in consultation with state landscaping associations to ensure project outcomes consider the needs of different jurisdictions. The industry bodies guiding the project are:
These organisations invited their networks to participate in workshops to identify job roles and skills needs of the landscaping industry across Australia. Skills Insight would like to thank the associations for their assistance organising and hosting the workshops.
Key findings
Landscaping industry stakeholders consistently describe landscapers as designers and builders of the world external to buildings. Participants identified workforce and training challenges resulting from a lack of visibility and clarity around career pathways, occupational definitions and regulations.
Industry recognition and visibility
The industry is not well understood by the public and career options are not widely known. There is a need for better visibility and clarity around the role of a landscaper and the variety of career pathways available.
Need for clearer occupational definitions
There are many job roles across the landscaping industry, yet currently only Landscape Designer and Landscape Gardener are recognised in the Occupational Standard Classification for Australia (OSCA). This has implications for access to Government support and funding. Note: From 11 March to 24 April 2026 there is the opportunity to provide feedback on the OSCA.
Workforce and skills shortages
Businesses find it difficult to employ workers with the required skills. It is easier to source untrained young workers to train on the job. These recruits will often leave to start their own business once their apprenticeship is complete. Older people making a career change make up a large portion of new entrants. They are valued for their commitment and transferable skills, but the physical requirements can be challenging. Vocational educational training is strongly supported by stakeholders, who indicated that sound training is key to strengthening the industry.
Shifting technology and work practices
The use of technology has increased exponentially over the past 5–10 years and is predicted to continue, presenting a need for industry and training to adapt.
Inconsistent jurisdictional regulations and licensing laws
Different jurisdictions across Australia have their own unique regulations, which can be challenging for trainers, industry professionals and employers to navigate.
Segmentation of the industry
Different sub-sectors of the industry (e.g: soft landscaping, hard landscaping, residential landscaping and commercial landscaping) are in competition for workers.
Project team
Susie Falk
Project Manager
Skills Insight
[email protected]
Tracey Woods
Stakeholder Engagement Manager
Skills Insight
[email protected]