Not Enough Skilled Landscapers

Landscape gardener is listed on the national Skilled Occupation List of workers in short supply. Industry leaders said there were many gardeners armed with just a ''barrow and shovel'' who believed they could do the work, which required more skill and knowledge than many workers realized.

It is forcing many companies to put staff through apprenticeships or develop their own training courses, particularly for sustainable landscaping, which is in strong demand for commercial and government projects.

Nursery and Garden Industry Association chief executive Geoffrey Fuller said qualified landscapers were hard to find.

''There's too many people out there with just a barrow and shovel,'' Fuller said.

A Landscape Association of SA spokesman agreed more trained and accredited landscapers were required to meet demand for skilled workers.

Commercial landscaping company GreenLife Group has developed the nation's first accredited course for the commercial landscaping industry - in partnership with Sustainable Gardening Australia - to give workers the qualifications they need.

Managing director Jeff Dominikovich said the company had turned to training employees itself because of the lack of skilled workers. He said most commercial and government clients were unwilling to hire companies for landscaping projects unless all staff have accredited qualifications and ''know what they're doing.''

''We've been particularly busy in the last couple of years and our business has grown significantly over that period of time and that means we are always looking for people,'' he said.

''The opportunities for a person who has got the qualifications are always going to be higher because they've got the knowledge.''

Landscape gardener Josh Croxton, 21, completed a Certificate III in Horticulture apprenticeship with the company.

''It's got a bit more to it than what everyone thinks than just putting garden beds together,'' he said.

''You start work in maintenance, which gives you the basis and general understanding of the whole industry, and move into landscaping, construction, reading plans and taking more of a leadership role.''