Landscape or maintain grounds of property using hand or power tools or equipment. Workers typically perform a variety of tasks, which may include any combination of the following: sod laying, mowing, trimming, planting, watering, fertilizing, digging, raking, sprinkler installation, and installation of mortarless segmental concrete masonry wall units.

Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

1. Operate powered equipment such as mowers, tractors, twin-axle vehicles, snow blowers, chain-saws, electric clippers, sod cutters, and pruning saws.

2. Mow and edge lawns, using power mowers and edgers.

3. Shovel snow from walks, driveways, and parking lots, and spread salt in those areas.

4. Care for established lawns by mulching, aerating, weeding, grubbing and removing thatch, and trimming and edging around flower beds, walks, and walls.

5. Use hand tools such as shovels, rakes, pruning saws, saws, hedge and brush trimmers, and axes.

6. Prune and trim trees, shrubs, and hedges, using shears, pruners, or chain saws.

7. Gather and remove litter.

8. Maintain and repair tools, equipment, and structures such as buildings, greenhouses, fences, and benches, using hand and power tools.

9. Mix and spray or spread fertilizers, herbicides, or insecticides onto grass, shrubs, and trees, using hand or automatic sprayers or spreaders.

10. Provide proper upkeep of sidewalks, driveways, parking lots, fountains, planters, burial sites, and other grounds features.

11. Water lawns, trees, and plants, using portable sprinkler systems, hoses, or watering cans.

Equipment Maintenance - Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.

Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Equipment Selection - Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.

Repairing - Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.

Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Building and Construction - Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Transportation - Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

Job Zone One: Little or No Preparation Needed

Education: These occupations may require a high school diploma or GED certificate. Some may require a formal training course to obtain a license.

Training: Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few days to a few months of training. Usually, an experienced worker could show you how to do the job.

The college search results are undergraduate programs associated with Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers. Further education may also be required to pursue this career.

The training search results include both short and long-term programs associated with Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers, and may be more appropriate for adult and non-traditional students. Further training may also be required to pursue this career.

In NY the average wage for this occupation was:

$18,230 for entry level workers, and $32,470 for experienced workers.

Based on the total number of annual openings and its growth rate, the employment prospects for this occupation are described as Very Favorable.

During 2006, there were approximately 54,520 Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers employed in NY.

We estimate that in 2016 there will be 60,670  employed in NY. This represents an increase of 620 job(s) each year, and a total of 720 job openings each year.

Grounds maintenance workers - Visit this link for additional information on this career from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; a publication produced and maintained by the United States Department of Labor.

Dishwashers - Clean dishes, kitchen, food preparation equipment, or utensils.

Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation - Mix or apply pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, or insecticides through sprays, dusts, vapors, soil incorporation or chemical application on trees, shrubs, lawns, or botanical crops. Usually requires specific training and State or Federal certification.

Nursery Workers - Work in nursery facilities or at customer location planting, cultivating, harvesting, and transplanting trees, shrubs, or plants.

Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers - Replace or repair broken windshields and window glass in motor vehicles.

Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment - Wash or otherwise clean vehicles, machinery, and other equipment. Use such materials as water, cleaning agents, brushes, cloths, and hoses.

Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand - Manually move freight, stock, or other materials or perform other unskilled general labor. Includes all unskilled manual laborers not elsewhere classified.