How to become a Gardener

Official title: Gardener (General)

Plants, cultivates and maintains parks and gardens.

Main tasks

• Prepares and maintains seedbeds and growing sites
• Plants and transplants flowers, shrubs, hedges, trees and other plants
• Maintains planted and grassed areas by weeding, trimming, fertilising, watering, mowing and removing trash, fallen branches and leaves
• Prunes and trims trees, shrubs and hedges to maintain their shape and improve plant health
• Installs plant support and protection devices
• Applies pesticides and herbicides to control pests and weeds

Ways in

• TAFE and VET: Certificate III in Horticulture (AHC30722); Certificate III in Parks and Gardens (AHC31024); Certificate IV in Horticulture (AHC40422); Certificate III in Permaculture (AHC33822); Certificate IV in Permaculture (AHC42122); Diploma of Horticulture Management (AHC50422); Certificate III in Gravedigging, Grounds and Maintenance (SIF30213)

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• About 87,200 people work in this job group now, and about 94,900 are projected by 2035. (+8.8%)
• AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.

Related jobs

• Arborist
• Tree Worker
• Florist
• Irrigation Technician
• Landscape Gardener
• Sports Turf Manager

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Gardener?

Ways in include: Certificate III in Horticulture; Certificate III in Parks and Gardens.

Is a Gardener a growing career in Australia?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 9% by 2035, from about 87,200 to about 94,900 people (Jobs and Skills Australia).

Do you need a degree to become a Gardener?

Usually not. Only 10% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Certificate III in Horticulture; Certificate III in Parks and Gardens.

Will AI change the work of a Gardener?

AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.

Sources

• Jobs and Skills Australia: Occupation data (ANZSCO), from ABS Labour Force and Census (February 2026), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Jobs and Skills Australia: Generative AI Capacity Study, interactive table data (September 2025), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Jobs and Skills Australia: Employment Projections (Victoria University) (May 2025 to May 2035), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04

Updated 2026-10-04