The landscape sector provides occupations that need a diverse skill set; however, this may be a double-edged sword because it means you have variation in your role but also a large number of abilities to learn and perfect.
You won’t be expected to know them all right away, and it’s not the first thing landscaping businesses look for.

So, where do you begin when it comes to industry-specific skills? Let’s take a look at what landscapers are looking for.

A Horticulture Sector Skills Survey was conducted in 2019, and a significant part of the survey was to
look at the skills gaps that the industry suffers. So, what were the findings, and what industry skills do landscaping companies place the greatest weight on? Gaining some of these skills ahead of time will undoubtedly increase your employability with landscaping companies.

Be healthy and keep yourself safe

Throughout the skills survey, occupations requiring managerial, technical, and trades abilities all emphasised the importance of health and safety; it was consistently ranked as one of their top two skills. To exist, function, and maintain a good reputation with clients and employees, businesses must run properly, with their workforce conforming to current health and safety standards and practises. Consider obtaining a landscape-specific health and safety qualification, such as the Register of Land-based Operators Health, Safety, and Environmental Awareness Course, which will verify your ability to work safely. You could also add a LISS/CSCS card, which permits you to work on a business site, indicating not just that you can operate safely, but also that you have additional industry certifications.

Allow the tool to do the work.

The improvement of technology and machines is critical to the survival of any company, including the landscape industry. Many pieces of machinery have been invented to assist professional landscapers in their everyday responsibilities, ranging from cutting grass to moving and sculpting the earth on a new project. When landscaping equipment is damaged or breaks down, landscapers can lose a lot of time. As a result, the value of a qualified machine operator is significant, as are those who know how to use equipment correctly, safely, and to its maximum capability, as well as how to check it and frequently make basic repairs on it when it breaks down.
Depending on the area of landscaping in which you are interested, it may be worthwhile to invest in certain industry-specific short courses that focus on a single piece of equipment.

Understand how you can change the environment for good

The environment and climate change are on everyone’s mind, and businesses are working hard to demonstrate how ecologically safe they and their goods are. Landscapers are pioneers in their field, developing and sustaining our green spaces, all of which have a direct impact on the environment and aid in the slowing of climate change. Add to that the effect that green spaces have on our mental health, its no wonder people ask how to get into landscaping because it is a career that makes a genuine and concrete difference to our world and its inhabitants; in other words, who wouldn’t want to be paid to do a job that makes such a difference? Landscapers are looking for people that are passionate about the environment and want to help make the necessary improvements.

Everything is in the design.

The majority of projects begin with a design. There are various positions dedicated purely to design, such as Garden Designers and Landscape Architects, however most landscape organisations include design into their operations.
Designers are in charge of putting together a green area or garden in the form of a design that will eventually be built. They show incredible talent in understanding that process and building a space that works for both the customer and the context in which it will be placed. Designers hone their creative and problem-solving abilities, as well as their understanding of construction and plants. There are numerous courses available to assist you develop these talents and learn the concepts of garden design.

Hard landscaping and soft landscaping

The abilities that focus on hard landscaping, the construction element of green spaces using ‘hard’ materials and soft landscaping, the planting up of projects and the use of’soft’ materials are the guts and bolts of most landscape firms. If you are wanting to know How to get into landscaping you will need to realise landscapers use a wide range of skills, which implies they never stop learning or developing these skills. Members of the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI) emphasise the necessity of construction skills such as masonry, timber work, laying asphalt, surveying, and marking out as important in their staff. When you combine this with solid plant knowledge and the ability to plant plants correctly, there are numerous talents you may learn and develop to make your way into the landscape profession.