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New apprenticeship as a climate gardener: The green opposite of the heat!
The new climate gardener apprenticeship starts in Vienna on September 22nd, 2025 to design sustainable green spaces and promote climate protection.
New apprenticeship as a climate gardener: The green opposite of the heat!
A fresh wind is blowing through the Viennese garden scene. With the new apprenticeship of climate gardener, which has existed for a year, great importance is placed on sustainable garden and landscape design. Reinhard Müller, an established garden designer at Gerasdorfer Straße 199, has played a key role in the development of this apprenticeship and has recently been training apprentices. This training focuses on the challenges of climate change, such as the overheating of cities, and provides extensive knowledge about greening urban spaces.
The training to become a climate gardener includes a three-year apprenticeship during which the aspiring gardeners acquire knowledge of plant and soil science as well as sustainable cultivation methods. According to meinkreis.at, the teaching content is particularly important because, among other things, it deals with green roofs, green facades and the care of trees. Rope climbing techniques for trees up to three meters are also part of the training program, so that future climate gardeners are optimally prepared for their diverse tasks.
The relevance in urban areas
With the climate crisis, the dangers in cities from extreme weather events, such as the floods in Vienna, and extreme heat are increasing. The targeted measures taken by climate gardeners are intended to help defuse such dangers. This includes, for example, the greening of sealed surfaces, house walls and roofs in order to shade heat islands. As ORF Vienna reports, raising awareness of ecological aspects and climate protection is a central goal of this training.
The new role of climate gardeners is interdisciplinary and requires collaboration with experts from a wide range of areas such as construction and technology. The aspiring professionals combine planting work with landscaping elements and support their customers from the planning process to the completion of the project work. At this point the possibilities are diverse, be it in horticultural businesses or in city and municipal administrations.
The training path
When asked how many apprentices are interested in this new profession, the answer remains modest: There are currently only two climate gardening apprentices in Vienna. Müller himself has not yet trained anyone in this new profession, but he regularly trains landscape gardeners. The first class for training as a climate gardener starts at the end of January 2025, and according to pro.earth, starting the training is possible at any time.
It turns out that the craft of climate gardening is a step in the right direction to make urban spaces greener and more livable. With a good knack for plants and an eye for ecological design options, young people who are enthusiastic about environmental and nature conservation could embark on an exciting professional journey. more on that.