Arborist
Kaitiaki Rākau
Alternative titles for this job
Arborists plant and remove trees, prune branches and treat disease.
Pay
Arborists with up to five years' experience usually earn
$23-$25 per hour
Arborists with more than five years' experience usually earn
$25-$35 per hour
Source: New Zealand Arboricultural Association, 2021, Hamilton City Council, 2018.
Job opportunities
Vocational PathwaysPay
Pay for arborists varies depending on their experience and skills.
- New arborists usually start on the minimum wage.
- Arborists with one to four years' experience usually earn between minimum wage and $25 an hour.
- Arborists with more than five years' experience can earn between $25 and $35 an hour.
Self-employed arborists may earn more than this.
Source: New Zealand Arboricultural Association, 2021; and Hamilton City Council, 2018.
- PAYE.net.nz website – use this calculator to convert pay and salary information
- Employment New Zealand website - information about minimum wage rates
(This information is a guide only. Find out more about the sources of our pay information)
What you will do
Arborists may do some or all of the following:
- identify, inspect, maintain, prune, plant and move trees
- identify and remove hazards created by trees
- assess trees for potential risks
- use and maintain abseiling equipment to climb trees
- operate EWPs (elevated work platforms), chippers, chainsaws and trucks
- give advice on trees suitable for planting or removal, and tree care
- give advice on treatments for pests and diseases
- plan and carry out pest and disease management.
Utility arborists will also clear trees and vegetation from around powerlines.
Skills and knowledge
Arborists need to have knowledge of:
- plant and soil biology, tree species identification and pest and disease control
- tree planting, pruning and landscaping techniques
- tree climbing and tree removal techniques
- operating chainsaws, rigging and climbing equipment, EWPs and chippers
- safe work practices and first aid.
Working conditions
Arborists:
- may work nights and weekends and on call
- work outside on private properties, roadsides, parks and farms
- may work in hazardous conditions in bad weather and at heights.
Entry requirements
To become an arborist you need to have
- a New Zealand Certificate in Horticulture Services (Level 4) with a strand in aboriculture
- or complete an apprenticeship and gain a New Zealand Certificate in Primary Industry Skills (Horticulture)(Arboriculture)(Level 4).
- Manukau Institute of Technology website – arborist qualifications
- Otago Polytechnic website – arborist qualifications
- Primary Industry Training Organisation – arborist training and apprenticeships
- Waikato Institute of Technology website – arborist qualifications
You need to have a full driver's licence and pass drug and alcohol tests.
A Class 2 truck licence and a First Aid Certificate are useful.
Secondary education
A minimum of three years of secondary education is recommended. Useful subjects include agriculture and horticulture, and biology.
Year 11 and 12 students can learn more about the horticulture industry, and study towards a National Certificate in Agriculture or Horticulture (Level 1 or 2), with a Trades Academy.
Year 12 and 13 students can learn more about the horticulture industry, and gain NCEA unit standards, through the Primary ITO Gateway programme.
Personal requirements
Arborists need to be:
- practical
- able to follow and give clear instructions
- able to keep calm in risky situations
- good at communicating with a wide range of people
- alert and observant, with an eye for detail
- safety conscious and responsible
- good at planning and organising.
Useful experience
Useful experience for arborists includes:
- horticulture or gardening work
- climbing with ropes
- customer service
- working at heights.
Physical requirements
Arborists need to have excellent fitness and must be strong to lift trees and branches. Arborists must be comfortable working at heights.
They should also have good balance, hand-eye co-ordination, hearing and eyesight (with or without corrective lenses).
Find out more about training
- New Zealand Arboricultural Association
- (04) 472 6330 - info@nzarb.org.nz - www.nzarbor.org.nz
- Primary Industry Training Organisation
- 0800 20 80 20 - info@primaryito.ac.nz - www.primaryito.ac.nz
What are the chances of getting a job?
Demand for arborists strong
Demand for arborists is strong due to high demand for their services, and a shortage of trainees.
As a result, arborist appears on Immigration New Zealand's regional skill shortage list. This means the Government is actively encouraging skilled arborists from overseas to work in New Zealand.
According to the Census, 1614 arborists worked in New Zealand in 2018.
Types of employers varied
Arborists may work for:
- city and regional councils
- arborist companies
- power companies.
Sources
- Chapman, M, 'Partnership Key to Address Labour Shortages', 13 April 2018, (www.hortnz.co.nz).
- Chapman, M, 'Where are the Workers?', 16 March 2018, (www.hortnz.co.nz).
- Fiske, Z, arborist, Hamilton City Council, careers.govt.nz interview, May 2018.
- Immigration New Zealand, 'Regional Skill Shortage List', 27 May 2019, (www.immigration.govt.nz).
- Lines-Mackenzie, J, 'One of the World's Best Tree Climbers Wants some More Competition', 11 April 2-17, (www.stuff.co.nz).
- Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, 'Jobs Online Monthly report - April 2018', 15 May 2018, (www.mbie.govt.nz).
- Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, 'Jobs Online Quarterly report - March 2018', 27 April 2018, (www.mbie.govt.nz).
- Molloy, K, business partner people and capability, Napier City Council, careers.govt.nz interview, June 2018.
- New Zealand Arborists Association, 'Tree Matters Winter 17', (www.nzarb.org.nz).
- Otago Polytechnic website, accessed May 2018, (www.op.ac.nz).
- Penman, C, '"Wholesale Slaughter" of Auckland Trees', 13 October 2017, (www.nzherald.co.nz).
- Stats NZ, '2018 Census Data', 2019.
- Wilson, W, human resources manager, Palmerston North City Council, careers.govt.nz interview, June 2018.
(This information is a guide only. Find out more about the sources of our job opportunities information)
Progression and specialisations
Arborists may progress to set up their own arboriculture business, or move into supervisory or management roles.
Arborists may also progress to become consultants on tree disease and risk management, or on planning trees for public spaces.
Arborists may specialise in:
- climbing – using equipment to climb and prune trees
- diagnostics – identifying and treating tree diseases
- EWP operation – using an elevated work platform to prune trees
- utility arboriculture – pruning and clearing trees near power lines or cables.
Arborists prune and plant trees
Last updated 3 April 2023