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arboriculture student climbing tree

Arboriculture

Arboriculture: The art and science of planting, caring for and maintaining trees.

The work of an arborist can include anything from tree identification, biology, health, appearance and pest and disease control, to climbing, rigging, tree surgery, tree removal and transplanting. 

Arboriculture students will work on real projects, go on field trips, carry out pruning and felling operations, use small machinery, plant out vegetation, and learn all the rigging and tree climbing skills safely at the Hamilton Gardens.

Work experience and industry connections

Students will gain practical work experience to supplement their studies and apply their learnings. This includes field trips to regional council sites, such as McLaren Falls in Tauranga, and Eastwood Hill, the National Arboretum in Gisborne.

No better place to study

Wintec is New Zealand's leading training provider in arboriculture and is internationally recognised as producing world-class arborists. Part of this is down to the location of our Hamilton Gardens Campus: a 58-hectare learning environment of public gardens with an incredible variety of trees.


"I started working towards an apprenticeship in arboriculture in Wellington but I struggled to get the theoretical training that I needed. I had heard Wintec was one of the best places in NZ to study to become an arborist, so I moved to Hamilton, and am now in my third year completing Level 6."

Read Merlin's story


Our programmes

Students will typically study for two years to develop the skills and knowledge to work in arboriculture and graduate with a New Zealand Certificate in Horticulture Services (Level 4). If students want to start working after the first year, they’ll still have the New Zealand Certificate in Applied Horticultural Services (Level 3) (Arboriculture) to back up their skills and technical knowledge. 

In the first-year students will study the Applied Horticultural Services (Level 3) (Arboriculture).

Students who choose to complete their study after the first year will have the skills to work as a skilled labourer in this area.

In the second semester, students will study the New Zealand Certificate in Horticulture Services (Level 4) Arboriculture.

Higher-level study

If students wish to progress to management roles, they will be able to continue to higher-level study:

Courses

Professional Programmes / Short Courses

Pathways

Horticulture, Arboriculture, Landscape Design and Construction pathway diagram

To check what you need to gain entry to a course, review the entry criteria available on each programme page. These assist you in understanding what qualifications or experience are typically required to gain entry. You can contact our team at info@wintec.ac.nz or 0800 2 Wintec at any time for further guidance.

About the faculty

Welcome to the Centre for Applied Science and Primary Industries!

Creating the next generation of science talent in New Zealand has never been more important and if you're thinking about a career in Science or Primary Industries, we can help you to build your skills and employability.

We offer a diverse and exciting range of programmes that produce graduates who move on to stimulating and challenging careers within industry. We are proud of who we are and the achievements of our staff, students and alumni.

Read more about the Centre here.

Prospectus (course guide)

The Wintec Prospectus (otherwise known as a course guide) outlines everything you need to know about Wintec. It contains information about the Wintec campuses, student life, and the programmes that are on offer.

Access your copy of the Wintec Prospectus

The Wintec Prospectus (course guide) is available by downloading the file - click on a document below to access the file. Alternatively, to request a copy via email or the post, please complete the form below.

Request an emailable or printed copy of the Prospectus

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