Horticultural Nursery Assistant

841412 · Heavy Next-day ready

Assists in propagating, cultivating and harvesting plants in a horticultural nursery.

Loading, unloading and moving nursery supplies and equipment; preparing nursery sites and plots using hand tools and machines; assisting with propagating and transplanting plants; watering, and weeding; tidying work areas and removing rubbish; tending plants by hand watering and weeding; adjusting mist irrigation systems, shade and ventilation.

Typically works outdoors but may occasionally need to work in potting sheds and glasshouses.
When outdoors works in most (except extreme) weather conditions.
Frequently works in dirty, wet, cold, hot or dusty conditions depending upon the season and weather.
The use of horticultural pesticides and fertilisers is likely to be occasional to frequent (unless there is an organic orientation) and may irritate the skin and aggravate breathing problems such as asthma or hay-fever. Protective clothing and breathing apparatus should be utilised.
Frequently moves from one area or property to another.

Medium to heavy physical level demand.
Stands and walks
Stretches up and/or across when undertaking some general nursery maintenance tasks such as pruning trees.
Frequently squats, crouches, bends and kneels when weeding or planting plants and picking up equipment.
Occasionally twists the body or neck if operating machinery or working in trees.
Workers will need to spray fertilisers and pesticides on an occasional to frequent basis.
Medium to heavy lifting and carrying of bags of fertiliser, soil mixes, and garden equipment, is likely to be required on an occasional to frequent basis.
Repetitive movements will be occasional to frequent (e.g. pruning and propagating).
Driving (e.g. of tractors) may be required but is not a significant component of the job.
The use of hand tools both manual and mechanical will be frequent to constant (e.g. pruning shears).
Mental skills necessary include practical, organisationa and problem-solving.

Entry signal Reviewed

No formal entry barrier — can start without prior training. Flagged next-day ready.

Entry barrier No formal entry barrier

Licence / registration No licence required

ANZSCO skill level 5

Next-day ready Yes

How this was determined (model-generated): Nil entry requirements; can start immediately.

There are opportunities for flexibility of movement but they are limited.
Some tasks may be constant on a seasonal or rotational basis but only occur periodically.