The Landscape Industries Association of Western Australia (LIAWA) offered comment on the Australian Government’s announcement of the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL)…
“Announced on December 03, 2024, the CSOL marks a pivotal moment for industries grappling with workforce shortages, including landscaping and horticulture. By consolidating 456 occupations into a single, streamlined list, formed via labour market analysis and consultations, the CSOL aims to simplify and modernise access to temporary skilled migration.
“However, while landscape gardeners and irrigation technicians are included on the CSOL, the challenges of navigating migration pathways, coupled with the high costs associated with employing unskilled overseas workers, persist. These hurdles underscore the urgent need to invest in local workforce development.
“In Western Australia, the landscaping and horticulture industry faces hundreds of job vacancies across a spectrum of roles, from hands-on positions like landscapers, arborists and turf installers, to critical administrative and managerial roles. Despite the wide array of opportunities, participation in apprenticeships and traineeships remains alarmingly low, eroding confidence in the vocational education and training (VET) system.
“Large contractors often turn to in-house training to fill skill gaps, leaving small to medium enterprises at a disadvantage. Meanwhile, reliance on international students and travellers provides only a temporary reprieve and does little to address the sector’s long-term needs, especially given the ageing workforce.
“South Australia recognised Landscape Construction as a formal trade in November 2024, complete with an apprenticeship pathway through the AHC30921 Certificate III in Landscape Construction. This initiative, praised by South Australian Skills Commissioner Cameron Baker, sets a precedent for standardising skills development, licensing and career progression. Western Australia’s South Metropolitan TAFE has long offered this certification as an apprenticeship, but inconsistencies across states highlight the need for a cohesive, national strategy.”
See the Core Skills Occupation List here.
Keep up with LIAWA here.
