Why Skilled Arborists Are Hard to Find

A summary of research into labour shortages in the New Zealand arboriculture industry

Introduction

Across New Zealand’s arboriculture industry, a familiar complaint is often heard. Skilled arborists are difficult to find.

Business owners frequently report that experienced climbers and crew leaders are in short supply, while industry organisations regularly highlight labour shortages as one of the sector’s most pressing challenges.

At first glance the issue appears straightforward. When workers are scarce, wages should rise until more people enter the occupation. Yet arboriculture presents an interesting puzzle. Despite persistent reports of labour shortages, wages have historically remained relatively modest when compared with the skill, responsibility, and physical demands involved in the work.

This contradiction formed the basis of my Master of Business Studies thesis, which examined skill shortages in the New Zealand arboriculture industry. Rather than simply confirming that a shortage exists, the research sought to understand why it persists.

The results suggested that the issue is not simply a lack of workers. Instead it reflects several structural dynamics within the industry itself.

Industry Experience and Motivation

The research was partly motivated by personal experience working within the industry.

While operating a small arboricultural firm in Auckland, I repeatedly encountered the same constraint. Demand for work was strong, but finding experienced staff was consistently difficult.

Conversations with other arborists revealed a similar pattern. Businesses could often recruit entry-level workers, yet struggled to find individuals capable of climbing confidently, making technical decisions, and running jobs independently.

This raised a broader question. If demand for arboricultural services was relatively strong, why was the industry struggling to retain skilled workers?

How the Research Was Conducted

To explore this question, the study combined several sources of evidence.

An online survey was distributed through the New Zealand Arboricultural Association to gather initial insights from people working in the industry. This was followed by a series of qualitative interviews with both employers and arborists.

The interviews explored topics such as:

• Positive and Negative Aspects Of Working In Arboriculture

• Career Pathways And Training Experiences

• Recruitment Difficulties Faced By Employers

• Reasons Workers Leave Or Remain In The Industry

After analysing the first round of interviews, a second round of interviews was conducted to test and refine the explanations that had begun to emerge.

The objective was not simply to identify the presence of a labour shortage, but to understand the mechanisms behind it.

Arboriculture Is A Demanding Occupation

One of the clearest findings from the research is that arboriculture is a technically demanding and physically challenging occupation.

Climbing and dismantling trees requires constant judgement and adaptation. Each cut produces new information that influences the next decision. Arborists continually adjust their approach based on the behaviour of the tree, the effectiveness of rigging systems, the surrounding environment, and the actions of the crew on the ground.

Much of this knowledge is practical and experience-based. While training programmes provide important foundations, genuine proficiency typically develops only after several years of field experience.

The work is also inherently hazardous. Arboriculture involves chainsaws, heavy timber, working at height, and complex rigging systems. Safe operations depend on the continuous identification and management of hazards rather than the elimination of risk entirely.

These factors make arboriculture a demanding profession. However, while they influence labour supply, they do not fully explain why skill shortages persist.

The Structure Of The Industry

Another important factor identified in the research relates to the structure of the arboriculture industry itself.

The sector is characterised by a large number of relatively small firms. Many businesses consist of only a few employees, and competition for work can be intense. Residential clients in particular often request multiple quotes before choosing a contractor.

This competitive environment places pressure on pricing. When firms compete heavily on price, profit margins narrow and the ability to offer higher wages becomes limited.

The result is a market structure where competition between firms indirectly suppresses wage growth.

The Self-Employment Cycle

One of the most significant findings of the research concerns the role of self-employment.

Many experienced arborists eventually leave employment and establish their own small businesses. While some do so out of entrepreneurial ambition, interviews suggested that this decision is often influenced by dissatisfaction with wages or limited career progression.

When a skilled arborist starts a new business, the number of firms in the market increases. Additional competition then places further pressure on prices and profit margins.

This creates a self-reinforcing cycle.

Low wages or limited career progression encourage experienced workers to leave employment. They then set up new firms and enter the market, this intensifies competition, margins further erode, and this puts additional pressure on wages. The conditions that contributed to the shortage are therefore reproduced.

Skill Shortage Or Skill Mismatch

Another important distinction emerging from the research is the difference between a skill shortage and a skill mismatch.

A true skill shortage occurs when there are simply too few trained individuals available. A skill mismatch occurs when skilled individuals exist but are not working in roles that fully utilise their abilities.

Evidence from the interviews suggested that arboriculture contains elements of both.

Many businesses reported difficulty finding experienced arborists capable of operating independently. At the same time, highly skilled workers often spent a considerable portion of their day performing relatively low-skill tasks such as dragging brush or operating ground equipment.

This mismatch between skill levels and daily work tasks can reduce job satisfaction and weaken incentives to remain in employment.

Why Training Alone May Not Solve The Problem

Training initiatives are often proposed as a solution to skill shortages. While training is important, the research suggests it may not be sufficient on its own.

Training programmes typically produce entry-level workers, yet the industry’s greatest demand is for experienced arborists capable of leading crews or managing complex work independently.

Developing this level of expertise takes time, often several years of practical experience. Training new workers also requires experienced staff who can supervise and mentor them. When these individuals are already scarce, the industry’s capacity to train newcomers becomes constrained.

As a result, increasing the number of entry-level trainees does not automatically translate into a larger pool of highly skilled arborists.

Implications For The Industry

The findings of the research suggest that labour shortages in arboriculture arise from the interaction of several structural dynamics rather than a single cause.

These include:

• The technically demanding nature of the work

• Intense competition among small firms

• Limited wage growth

• High levels of self-employment

• Challenges in developing experienced workers

Together, these dynamics create an environment where skilled workers are difficult to attract and retain.

Understanding these mechanisms is an important step toward addressing the problem. Solutions may require not only improvements in training and recruitment, but also broader consideration of how the industry is structured and how value is generated within it.

Conclusion

The shortage of skilled arborists in New Zealand is often framed as a simple labour supply issue. The research presented in this thesis suggests the situation is more complex.

Industry structure, competition between firms, and patterns of self-employment all play important roles in shaping labour market outcomes. When these forces interact, they create persistent challenges for businesses seeking to recruit and retain experienced staff.

Recognising these dynamics does not provide an immediate solution, but it does offer a clearer understanding of the forces shaping the arboriculture workforce. With this understanding, industry participants are better positioned to explore strategies that support both skilled workers and the long-term sustainability of the profession.

Author Note

This article summarises the key findings of a Master of Business Studies thesis completed at Massey University in 2021:

Skills Mismatches and Worker Shortages in the New Zealand Arboriculture Industry.

The research combined industry surveys with interviews conducted with arborists and business owners to better understand the structural causes of persistent labour shortages in the sector.

Readers interested in the full research can access the complete thesis HERE.