Landscaping Project

Menu: Click across the green arrows to view active and completed project stages. Consultation takes place at every stage of the project.

Case for change

Landscapers play an integral role in creating safe, sustainable and functional outdoor spaces for private and public use. The AHC Training Package, which contains these skills standards, is one of the largest, most complex and diverse training packages in the Australian System. Given how vital it is that these skills are regularly reviewed and updated, this project continues the full review of the AHC Training Package outlined in the Skills Forecast and Program of Works 2019 – 2022.

The Australian Industry Skills Committee (AISC) approved this project, out of the Annual Update IRC Skills Forecast and Proposed Schedule of Work.

Skills Impact and the Amenity Horticulture, Landscaping, Conservation & Land Management Industry Reference Committee (IRC) will oversee this project, consistent with the 2012 Standards for Training Package Development.

Download Project Proposal (see page 63)

Register your interest in the project

Subscribe to the Skills Impact newsletter to keep informed about project updates and opportunities to provide input and feedback. Make sure to select ‘Agriculture, Horticulture, Conservation and Land Management’ as your industry of interest.

Project Plan

A skilled workforce of landscape professionals design, construct and maintain the gardens and green spaces in our public spaces and backyards. As urban city blocks get smaller, people are looking to landscapers to create and deliver outcomes where they can get the most out of their garden space. Many backyards these days are an extension to the living room, so it is important they offer a safe, comfortable, and sustainable space for entertainment and enjoyment. Well-designed public gardens, parks, and streetscapes increase the liveability of local communities.

Landscapers consider the local environment and site conditions to design, construct and maintain gardens that add social and economic value to private and community spaces. This requires skills in horticulture and plant care, as well as expertise in working with a range of materials to create structures such as retaining walls, fences, pergolas, decks, pathways, and water features. It is important that skills standards for this industry are regularly reviewed so that they reflect current safe work practices and standards, industry regulations, the latest in technology, and up to date knowledge of horticulture and ecology.

With landscape works involving many varied elements, people employed in these roles will sometimes work alongside carpenters, plumbers, electricians, and other professionals to produce the final product. As such, landscapers possess skills to account for and complement the work of these professionals, preparing materials and spaces for this work to take place.

Work is underway as part of this project to update current qualifications, skill sets and units of competency in landscaping construction and design, so that they reflect current industry trends, support safe work practices, and promote clear career pathways.

A project in parks and gardens is taking place at the same time as this project. There is overlap in some of the foundational skills for these two projects, so you may also like to read about and contribute to that project. Read more about the Parks and Gardens here.

Project Scope

Five qualifications, four skill sets, and 24 units in landscaping construction and design will be reviewed and updated to better reflect current skills needs for this sector and strengthen career pathways. There is scope to develop additional skill sets and units for skills standards not already captured.

Register your interest in the project

Relevant Occupations

Residential Landscaper
Commercial Landscaper
Landscape Designer
Garden Maintenance
Softscape Installer
Green Roof Technician
Site Foreman
Project Manager
Estimator
Leading Hand/Supervisor/Team Leader
Landscape Lighting Technician
Irrigation Installer

Timeline

September 2020
Initial scoping

October 2020
Development of draft qualifications, skill sets and units

Nov-Dec 2020
Drafts available for broad consultation

Mar-Apr 2021
Validation of final drafts

May 2021
Finalisation of Training Package components

May-July 2021
Independent Quality Assurance, and Edit and Equity review of Training Package components

Aug-Sept 2021
IRC consideration for sign-off and submission for endorsement

Project Team

Rebecca Ford	Industry Skills Standards Specialist, Skills Impact	rebecca@skillsimpact.com.au
Michelle Ingley-Smith	Industry Engagement Manager, Skills Impact	michelle@skillsimpact.com.au
Peter Miller	Industry Skills Standard Contractor

Opportunities for stakeholder input

Those with experience in landscaping and others with knowledge in this field who are able to describe the skills and qualifications needed for this industry are invited to engage with this project.

It is important that training provides a skilled and flexible workforce for the future. The qualifications, skill sets, and units need to reflect real work experience. So, if you work in the sector, Skills Impact welcomes your input and assistance.

The skills standards will be drafted in consultation with Subject Matter Experts and their networks. Opportunities to provide targeted feedback will occur when the draft skills standards are made available in Nov-Dec 2020, and again for validation of final drafts in Mar-Apr 2021. However, your feedback is welcomed at any time, and will help us in drafting the qualifications, skill set and units.

Please register your interest in project updates and consultation opportunities by following the newsletter subscription link. Alternatively, contact the project manager, Rebecca Ford on 0408 901 209 or at rebecca@skillsimpact.com.au.

N.B. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Webinars will be held to replace the face-to-face consultation workshops Skills Impact would usually host around Australia.

Stakeholder Consultation Process

A list of key stakeholder organisations has been identified for this project based on their industry role, size or specialty. Skills Impact will ensure contact is made with each of these organisations to seek their involvement and views on all draft qualifications, skill sets and units. Consultation is not limited to the organisations on this list, they have simply been identified as the most likely to have a key interest in the development and outcomes of this project

If you are aware of an organisation that you think should be involved, please contact the project team to ensure they are contacted by us.

Development

The landscaping sector adds value to public and private green spaces, supporting home owners to get the most out of their garden space and improving the liveability of our communities by beautifying public spaces. It is important that these spaces offer a safe, comfortable, and sustainable space for entertainment and enjoyment. Skilled landscapers consider the local environment and site conditions to design, construct and maintain gardens that meet these needs. They require skills in horticulture and plant care, as well as expertise in working with a range of materials to create structures such as retaining walls, fences, pergolas, decks, pathways, and water features. Often working alongside carpenters, plumbers, electricians, and other professionals, a skilled landscaper will work collaboratively and prepare materials and spaces for a range of work to take place.

Five qualifications, four Skill Sets and 24 units of competency have been reviewed in consultation with Subject Matter Experts, following a Workforce Functional Analysis process in October 2020, to identify the current job roles within the industry and any gaps in the skills standards. As a result of this review, two new units of competency are being drafted to address the increased use of computer-aided design (CAD) software as a standard work practice and the increasing trend to use outdoor tiling in landscape projects.

Development outcomes and next steps

Broad stakeholder consultation is scheduled to commence mid to late November 2020, when draft qualifications, skill sets and units will be made available for feedback on this webpage. Your input is welcome, please feel free to register your interest to keep informed of project updates and when draft materials are available for feedback by following the newsletter subscription link below.

Register your interest in the project

Drafts Available

Well designed, constructed and maintained green spaces increase the liveability and value of Australian homes and public spaces. This project is reviewing national qualifications and skills standards for landscaping, so they reflect current safe work practices and standards, industry regulations, the latest in technology, and up to date knowledge of horticulture and ecology. Landscapers require skills in horticulture and plant care, as well as expertise in working with a range of materials to create structures such as retaining walls, fences, pergolas, decks, pathways, and water features. They often work alongside carpenters, plumbers, electricians, and other professionals, so it is also important that landscapers possess the skills to account for and complement the work of these professionals, preparing materials and spaces for this work to take place.

Industry experts have been consulted to review existing qualifications and skills standards for landscaping. As a result of this review, the documents have been updated to incorporate changes in technology and workplace practices and to reflect current terminology. Two units of competency have also been developed to address the increased use of computer-aided design (CAD) software as a standard work practice and the increasing trend to use outdoor tiling in landscape projects.

Thank you to everyone who provided feedback on the draft qualifications, skill sets and units that were made available from 2 December 2020 – 17 January 2021. Feedback was sought on whether the draft documents reflect the current skills standards and practices of industry, and whether job functions are accurately described.

During this time, feedback was collected via the online feedback hub, by phone and email. The drafts, including any comments made on the feedback hub, are still available for viewing below.

Feedback will inform the work on the final drafts which will be available for industry validation soon. A summary of the feedback and how it was addressed in the final drafts will also be available.

Qualifications proposed for removal

Subject matter experts, who have been reviewing the qualifications and skills standards have identified that there have been no enrolments in the Certificate IV in Landscape and the Diploma of Landscape Project Management since 2015. To support a better understanding of the no enrolments in these two qualifications, the experts are of the view that the industry would be better served by understanding the barriers to training, so that the qualifications can be revised to meet the outcomes of the industry. Feedback from the broader industry about any barriers to training that may exist with the current qualifications was invited.

Feedback was collected via a questionnaire. Responses to the questions will be considered by the Subject Matter Expert Working Group and the Amenity Horticulture, Landscaping, Conservation & Land Management Industry Reference Committee. Your insights will assist these groups to better understand the value of retaining or removing the qualifications and/or any potential impacts for future learners, employers, RTOs and the broader industry.

Qualifications

Revised

All qualifications have been reviewed and updated with amended packaging rules and redistribution of Core and Elective units and/or with new Elective units added.

More extensive changes have been made to the Certificate III and IV and the two Diplomas, including updated the qualification descriptions, amended packaging rules, updated core unit codes and addition of elective units.

Click here to download a summary of technical changes made to the qualifications.

AHC21616 Certificate II in Landscaping	View qualification
AHC30916 Certificate III in Landscape Construction	View qualification
AHC42016 Certificate IV in Landscape	View qualification
AHC50616 Diploma of Landscape Design	View qualification
AHC52016 Diploma of Landscape Project Management	View qualification