Harry Roberts is proof that STEM careers can grow from any age – he kicked off his arboriculture apprenticeship at 27!
When Harry finished high school he had no idea what he wanted to do! But having completed his mature-age apprenticeship and a Certificate III in Arboriculture, he now leads his own arboriculture team at Brisbane City Council.
Before his apprenticeship, Harry did bridge inspections and maintenance. It was through this job that he first realised he enjoyed working at heights. After trying a few different things, he learnt about the Certificate III in Arboriculture and the apprenticeship.
“I liked working at heights and I liked working with people, but I didn’t want to be in an office all day, so I thought I’d give it a try,” Harry says.
Arboriculture might not be the first area that springs to mind when you think of maths careers, but arborists use maths all the time! It helps them estimate the wood’s weight (which is different for every species), as well as the weight load the equipment and rigging point can take. Plus, there’s geometry in shaping tree crowns – the area over which a tree’s branches spread.
“It’s not just about shaping a tree to suit your needs. It’s about learning how to correctly prune a tree to its biology,” Harry says. Harry’s job also involves understanding the relationship between animals and trees so he
can create or maintain animal habitats.
“This means not cutting down dead trees that provide habitat for different critters, creepy crawlies and birds,” he says. According to Harry, there are lots of emerging fields in arboriculture right now, including a new stream for habitat workers.
“This involves using climbing techniques and elevated platforms to hang nest boxes and create artificial hollows in trees!”
Harry’s path to becoming a Arborist
- Certificate III in Arboriculture, Interlink Training
- Team member, Brisbane City Council
- Aboriculture team leader, Brisbane City Council
- 2024 Harry Hauenschild Queensland Apprentice of the Year and Australian Training Awards Finalist
A version of this profile also appears in Careers with STEM: Maths and Data 2025 and was produced in partnership with the National Careers Institute.
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