Groundsman/groundswoman
Role lens
Groundsmen/groundswomen provide landscape and lawn services and maintain grounds for private households, commercial and public facilities, schools, hotels, botanical gardens, golf courses, parks and athletic fields.
Groundsmen/groundswomen are skilled professionals who keep outdoor areas looking their best. Your day might involve mowing lawns, planting flowers, trimming hedges, and ensuring irrigation systems are functioning correctly. You’ll work across various settings, including private residences, commercial properties, schools, hotels, botanical gardens, golf courses, and public parks. This role requires a combination of practical skills, attention to detail, and an understanding of plant care.
- • Mowing, edging, and maintaining lawns and turf.
- • Planting and cultivating flowers, shrubs, and trees.
- • Controlling weeds, pests, and diseases using appropriate methods.
Where this occupation is in demand
Reported labour shortages and surpluses, by year. Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
Figures cover Market-oriented skilled agricultural workers — 27 jobs including this one.
In shortage: Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Greece and 5 more.
Longest-running shortage: Netherlands, 4 years.
Select a place on the map to see its figures.
About this source›
Source: ELA/EURES labour shortages and surpluses. Readings are published at occupation-group level, and cover Europe. Editions differ in annex layout and country coverage, so a change between years does not always mean the labour market changed. Countries in grey were not reported, which is not the same as being in balance.
What these words mean
The four things this section reports
- Reported demand
- Whether employers report needing people in this job — a judgement published by a national or EU body, not a count.
- Where it is heading
- Which way employment in this job is expected to move over the coming years, from an official projection.
- Openings
- Roughly how many openings arise — from growth and from people leaving the job.
- Typical pay
- What people in this job typically earn where the source publishes it. Blank does not mean unpaid; it means nobody publishes it for that place.
A measure is left out when nobody publishes it for that place, rather than shown as zero.
Which way the market leans for you
- In your favour
- More openings than people looking — employers are competing for candidates.
- Balanced
- Openings and candidates are roughly matched.
- Competitive
- More people looking than openings — expect to compete.
- Mixed evidence
- Sources disagree, or the same occupation group is short in one part and oversupplied in another.
Every source resolves to one of these four, so there is a single vocabulary to learn. What differs is the evidence behind it, which is printed underneath each verdict — a measured ratio of openings to jobseekers, or an assessment published by a national body.
How this job compares with other jobs in the same country
- Strong
- Among the strongest in that country
- Good
- Stronger than most jobs in that country
- Mixed
- About typical for that country
- Weak
- Weaker than most jobs in that country
This is a rank within one country, not a score you can carry across borders — the registers behind two countries count different people, so the same number means different things in each. It is also why a job can be among the strongest in a country and still show as Competitive: it leads the field in a market that is crowded overall.
Where these come from
Every figure is published by a national statistics office, a public employment service or an EU body, and each card names its source and the period it covers. Some places are counted monthly, others assessed once or twice a year, so two places on the same map can be describing different moments — the date is always shown.
None of this predicts one person’s chances. It describes a market.
Reported demand · Typical pay · Where it is heading (United States, Ireland, Australia, Malta, United Kingdom)
| Reported demand | Typical pay | Where it is heading | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Not reported | $39,150 2025-05 | +3.6% 2024–2034 · BLS 2024-2034 |
| Ireland | Not reported | — | −7.2% 2023–2035 · Cedefop 2026 * |
| Australia | Assessed as balanced Jobs and Skills Australia 2025 * | — | — |
| Malta | Shortage reported ELA/EURES 2024 * | — | — |
| United Kingdom | Not reported | £27,519 2025-provisional | — |
* Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS)
Source: Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Open Government Licence v3.0
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Future Outlook for groundsman/groundswoman
The outlook for groundsman/groundswoman reflects a balanced mix of automation exposure and durable, human-led work.
How are these scores calculated?
The Resilience Score (0–100) estimates how structurally protected this occupation is from automation and AI disruption, based on task-level analysis. Higher scores mean more human-judgment-intensive tasks. AI Exposure shows the estimated percentage of task hours that current AI capabilities could affect. These are model-derived structural indicators, not predictions about individual job security.
How could groundsman/groundswoman change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
Model-based estimate. Use it as a planning signal, not a guarantee.
Compare this to your profile
How AI may change this role
Deterministic, model-based interpretation of current role signals — not a guarantee of replacement.
What still depends on people
- perform pest control
- execute disease and pest control activities
- prepare site for construction
Where AI may become a co-pilot
- monitor water quality
- transport physical resources within the work area
- prepare the ground
Tasks most exposed to automation
- estimate consumption of water
Vital Signs & AI Vectors
AI Exposure Vectors
0-100%Exposure to physical automation, robotics, and sensor-driven task displacement
Exposure to AI-assisted analysis, pattern recognition, and predictive modelling tasks
Exposure to content generation, creative augmentation, and large language model tools
Exposure to workflow automation, decision-support software, and process digitisation
Technical Details
NexFuture v3.0 estimates automation exposure natively from ESCO essential-skill groups, weighted by skill mass and calibrated against expert anchors. Scores are probabilistic estimates, not guarantees. See the NexFuture Methodology White Paper for full details.
Measures automation exposure. It does not measure pay, demand, or how many jobs exist near you.
What people in this role usually do
Agriculture
A typical day as a groundsman/groundswoman
09 09:00 · Morning plan sports areas
10 10:30 · Mid-morning prepare building site
12 12:00 · Midday construct greens and grounds
14 14:00 · Afternoon estimate consumption of water
15 15:30 · Late afternoon execute disease and pest control activities
17 17:00 · Wrap-up maintain turf and grass
Task order is illustrative. Individual days vary.
What you need to do this work
The skills, knowledge and tools this role calls for — and the traits and rewards that come with it.
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prepare the ground
Prepare the ground for laying turf or seeding by clearing the area, choosing the optimal soil, choosing the ground deepness and the appropriate fertilisers.
-
prepare sites for planting of grass
Prepare lawn areas by spreading top soil and planting grass, and by laying instant turf.
-
maintain turf and grass
Establish and maintain fine turf, grassed fields, and synthetic surfaces for sports events. Ensure a pleasant appearance of the property grounds.
-
perform weed control operations
Carry out crop spraying for weeds and plant disease operations in line with National industry and customer requirements.
-
spray pesticides
Spray pesticide solutions to keep insects, fungus, weed growth, and diseases under control.
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maintain landscape site
Maintain the site by mowing, applying fertiliser, controlling weed, aerating, trimming and pruning. Perform clean-ups according to needs and requirements.
-
perform pest control
Carry out crop spraying pest and disease operations in line with National industry and customer requirements. Carry out slurry and fertiliser spreading in accordance with local environmental regulations
-
execute disease and pest control activities
Execute disease and pest control activities using conventional or biological methods taking into account the climate, plant or crop type, health and safety and environmental regulations. Store and handle pesticides in accordance with recomandation and legislation.
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prepare building site
Draw up building plans and prepare building sites for erecting buildings or other structures.
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plan sports areas
Carry out an initial survey which identifies the type, function and required dimensions of the sports area. Produce accurate plans which are consistent with the rules of the sport. Ensure the positioning and dimensions of the sports area are consistent with the rules of the sport and the function, use and safety of the site.
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prepare site for construction
Prepare ground or site for construction of wooden and brick terraces, fences and ground surfaces. This includes measure and plan out the site, lay stone and tiles.
-
transport physical resources within the work area
Transport physical resources such as products, equipment, materials, and liquids. Carefully load, transport and unload resources safely and efficiently, keeping the load in good condition.
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handling chemical products for soil and plants
Handling chemical products for soil and plants includes cleaning the equipment used for spreading and spraying, mixing of chemicals, preparing pesticides and herbicides for spraying, preparing fertilisers for spreading.
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use gardening equipment
Use gardening equipment such as clippers, sprayers, mowers, chainsaws, complying to health and safety regulations.
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maintain turf management equipment
Install and service equipment like nets, posts and protective covers for sports and recreation purposes.
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maintain irrigation systems
Inspect and assess irrigation systems according to agreed time schedules. Identify defects and wear in irrigation systems and arrange repairs.
-
monitor water quality
Measure water quality: temperature, oxygen, salinity, pH, N2, NO2,NH4, CO2, turbidity, chlorophyll. Monitor microbiological water quality.
horticulture principles
The standard horticultural practices, including but not limited to planting, pruning, corrective pruning, and fertilisation.
plant disease control
Types and features of diseases in plants and crops. Different kinds control methods, activities using conventional or biological methods taking into account the type of plant or crop, environmental and climate conditions and health and safety regulations. Storage and handling of products.
plant species
The variety of plants, trees and shrubs and their special characteristics.
principles of landscape construction
Principles and techniques to prepare ground or site for construction of wooden and brick terraces, fences and ground surfaces. This includes knowlege on how to measure and plan out the site, lay stone and tiles.
soil structure
Diversity of soil elements and types of soil in relation to plant growth.
turf management
The different techniques for planting and maintenance of turf according to the type of surfaces and materials used.
water chemistry analysis
Principles of complex water chemistry.
watering principles
Methods, principles and systems for supplying water to land or crops by means of pipes, sprinklers, ditches or streams.
crop production principles
Principles in growing crops, the natural cycle, nursing of nature, growth conditions and principles of organic and sustainable production. Quality criterias and requirements of seeds, plants and crop.
- ecology
- environmental legislation in agriculture and forestry
- pest control in plants
Path to become a groundsman/groundswoman
What it typically takes to qualify: education level, where it is a regulated profession, and where to study.
Upper secondary education
281 programmes in 26 countries teach the core skills of this job. Plus 165 short courses that build single skills.
A few examples, taught in the language of this page:
Järviseudun ammatti-instituutti · Finland
Honours Bachelor of Science in Applied Plant Biology
University College Cork · Ireland
These are 6 of 446.
Sources
- 1. Source: Opintopolku.fi (Finnish National Agency for Education)
- 2. Source: Europass Qualification Dataset Register (European Commission)
- 3. Source: South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), All Qualifications and Unit Standards (allqs.saqa.org.za).
- 4. Source: Study with New Zealand (studywithnewzealand.govt.nz), Education New Zealand. Copyright in the material is owned by Education New Zealand (All content (c) Education New Zealand). Listings are provided by the education providers, are for information and promotional purposes only, and are not endorsed by Education New Zealand; each provider is responsible for its own content.
- 5. Contains information from MySkillsFuture Course Run accessed on 2026-09-28 from data.gov.sg which is made available under the terms of the Singapore Open Data Licence version 1.0 (https://data.gov.sg/open-data-licence)
Growth Pathways & Similar Roles
Explore typical career progression paths, adjacent skills, and similar roles to plan your next transition.
Where does groundsman/groundswoman fit?
Similarity scores based on skill overlap from ESCO data.
For organisations
The data on this page, working for your students, clients and staff.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of physical demands are involved in being a groundsman/groundswoman?
Do I need a formal education to become a groundsman/groundswoman?
What are the typical working conditions like?
How much does Groundsman/Groundswoman pay in the United States?
Sources: ESCO O*NET ELA/EURES Cedefop BLS Data updated October 3, 2026 About our data