Nov 20, 2022
- Apprenticeships
- Arborist
- Awards & Recognition
- Commercial Tree Services
- Media Releases
- Tree Care
- Tree Care by Citywide
- Tree Services
- Urban Forester
- Urban Issues
- Utility Arborist
Citywide has won a national training sector Gold Award for the industry advocacy campaign it has developed to raise awareness of the critical nationwide shortage of arborists and tree care workers.
Along with our fellow award recipients - training partner Arbortrim and peak body Arboriculture Australia - the Arborists Don't Grow on Trees 
campaign landed the Industry Collaboration title at the Australian Training Awards over the weekend. It follows similar success at a state level when the campaign won the Victorian Training Award’s Industry Collaboration title in September.
“What both these awards recognise is the critical skills shortage and associated issues that Australia’s tree care industry has battled for well over a decade,” Citywide spokesman Matt Williams said.
“It is immensely encouraging to know that the headline message of the campaign has struck a chord and continues to resonate with a growing audience.
“There is a lot of work still to do and a long way to go yet but equally there is a huge opportunity, not just for industry operators and allied stakeholders but also the community as a whole, particularly among job seekers.”
Increasingly, more government bodies are expanding green infrastructure investment and urban tree canopy coverage as a means to tackling climate change and related environmental concerns.
Australia’s urban trees are among the country’s most vital natural resources, providing many benefits including: shade for school students, community wellbeing, pollution reduction, activating community areas, habitats for wildlife and other economic and social benefits important to our country’s liveability.
Industry leaders estimate 20,000 qualified arborists and tree care workers are needed around Australia in the next 10 years, to address the expected increase in the number of urban trees being planted.
The Australian Training Awards recognise the success of apprentices, trainees, students, teachers, training providers, employers, and industry representatives around the country.
This year, 75 finalists were honoured for their outstanding achievements of individuals and organisations in the national vocational education and training sector.
The Arborists Don’t Grow on Trees campaign nomination beat stiff competition from 
the Queensland Future Skills Partnership between BHP Mitsubishi Alliance, CQ university and TAFE Queensland and a WA Department of Justice scheme creating training pathways to employment for prisoners.
