Congratulations!
You’ve successfully completed the New Zealand Certificate in Horticulture (Landscape Construction) (Level 3).
Take a few minutes to work through this short final topic that explores some avenues you might like to follow if you’re left wanting more.
As we learned earlier, it is possible to move into a career in landscape design, landscape construction, or both. Read through the following summaries and see how your experiences and attributes align.
Landscape design requires relatively low physical exertion, with the most physically demanding parts being the site measure up and occasionally site set-out.
To be a successful landscape designer you’ll also need to:
- enjoy interacting and empathising with clients to determine their needs
- use creativity and design processes to design solutions to problems
- have a good knowledge of construction materials and plants and their growth requirements.
Landscaping is physically demanding work. To do it for a living you’ll need a good level of fitness or at least an average level of fitness that you can build up on the job.
To be a successful landscaper you’ll also need to:
- enjoy working outdoors all year around
- enjoy working with your hands
- use creativity and logic to solve problems that may arise
- have a good knowledge of construction materials and techniques and plants and their growth requirements.
Some people work in both landscape design and construction, particularly those who own and operate small businesses. If you find that you love doing both, you don’t need to choose just one!
From here, there are plenty of opportunities. You’ve proved to yourself that you can design a garden and follow through and install hard and soft landscaping features.
Learning more landscape design
If you are interested in taking your landscape design skills to a higher level, you can study through a number of providers.
If this programme has spurred you on to become a landscape architect, there are only three education providers that offer accredited programmes, so make sure you enrol in one of these. You can learn more on the Tuia Pito Ora New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects website.
If you’re not planning on becoming a registered landscape architect, but want to study landscape design at a higher level, there are other study options at level 4 and 5 at different providers.
Learning how to run a small business
If you’re keen to get out there and start a landscaping business, consider NZMA’s Small Business Essentials (Level 4) programme, to help ensure the success and growth of your business.
And that’s it.
Ka rawe! Your perseverance has paid off.
