ARBORICULTURE CAREERS WITH TREE KING
At Tree King, our story is rooted in our commitment to both our employees and our clients. As a leading provider of arboriculture services, we stand out by placing a strong emphasis on creating a remarkable work environment. We firmly believe that by prioritising our employees’ well-being and professional growth, we empower them to deliver an exceptional level of service to our valued clients. With a dedicated and satisfied team, we are able to attract and retain top arborists, surpassing our competitors in both talent and capability.
Our company is also actively engaged in the industry’s development, working towards addressing skill shortages and contributing to the advancement of arboriculture in New Zealand. For more about this follow us on Linkedin.
We are always looking for talented arboricultural professionals to join us on this journey!

WHAT WE BELIEVE
- People are the most important part of arboriculture
- The occupation of “arborist” should be viable as a life-long career, not a stepping stone on your path to operation management or small business ownership
- Certain things need to change for this to become a reality
HOW ARE WE DOING IT?
Tree King are a key part of ongoing academic research addressing the skills shortage facing the arboriculture industry. We are aware that certain aspects of the job seem to be pushing people into self-employment or out of the industry completely.
As a career, arboriculture has a lot going for it such as working outside, overcoming challenges as a self-directed team and the opportunity to have a lasting, positive impact on the urban forest. No two days are the same and you’ll never need the gym again.
Unfortunately, these kinds of things tend to be overshadowed by negatives such as long, inflexible hours, low pay, lack of career progression, lack of autonomy, egotistical managers and of course the fact that your body is likely to be thoroughly worn out by your mid-thirties.
The good news is that there are answers to these challenges. This all begins with just a few of us working together to find sustainable solutions (rather than simply putting up with the problems until you can execute your exit strategy).


HOW ARE WE DOING IT?
Tree King are a key part of ongoing academic research addressing the skills shortage facing the arboriculture industry. We are aware that certain aspects of the job seem to be pushing people into self-employment or out of the industry completely.
As a career, arboriculture has a lot going for it such as working outside, overcoming challenges as a self-directed team and the opportunity to have a lasting, positive impact on the urban forest. No two days are the same and you’ll never need the gym again.
Unfortunately, these kinds of things tend to be overshadowed by negatives such as long, inflexible hours, low pay, lack of career progression, lack of autonomy, egotistical managers and of course the fact that your body is likely to be thoroughly worn out by your mid-thirties.
The good news is that there are answers to these challenges. This all begins with just a few of us working together to find sustainable solutions (rather than simply putting up with the problems until you can execute your exit strategy).

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOUR JOB?
It means this is not the place to come if your life goal is to “get-off-the-tools”.
Arboriculture is a physical job and all of our staff including management spend time working as part of our crews. A large part of your job will be climbing trees and doing what you enjoy. Our crew leaders are not necessarily our best climbers which helps take the pressure off you. Depending on your experience there is the chance to split your climbing role with another role such as quoting or the training of staff. We are constantly looking at helping our staff upskill and widen their knowledge.
Flexibility is key! No two people are the same so there’s no one-size-fits-all job description to put in here. If you have certain requirements to make a role at Tree King work for you then we would love to hear them! This is how change happens.
WHAT DO WE NEED FROM YOU?
- You have a proven track record in the arboriculture industry
- You have knowledge about trees
- You either are or have been a climber in this industry
- You are as enthusiastic as us about working with trees
- You are eligible to work in New Zealand


WHAT DO WE NEED FROM YOU?
- You have a proven track record in the arboriculture industry
- You have knowledge about trees
- You either are or have been a climber in this industry
- You are as enthusiastic as us about working with trees
- You are eligible to work in New Zealand

NEW TO THE INDUSTRY?
From time to time we take on people who are completely new to arboriculture.
These positions are very competitive as we dedicate a lot of resources to training these apprentices.
To qualify for an apprenticeship at Tree King you MUST hold a minimum of a Learner Class 2 drivers licence because we’ll have you driving trucks very early on.
Beyond this, we want people who already know how to work hard and push themselves. Perhaps you have been raised in an agricultural environment or gained experience in the military? You’ll need to be fit and you’ll be working in small teams so a sporting background can be advantageous. In this industry, strength and stamina are truly valuable assets. The job revolves around problem solving so if you’re good at overcoming challenges and can think on your feet, this might be the career for you.

NEW TO THE INDUSTRY?
From time to time we take on people who are completely new to arboriculture.
These positions are very competitive as we dedicate a lot of resources to training these apprentices.
To qualify for an apprenticeship at Tree King you MUST hold a minimum of a Learner Class 2 drivers licence because we’ll have you driving trucks very early on.
Beyond this, we want people who already know how to work hard and push themselves. Perhaps you have been raised in an agricultural environment or gained experience in the military? You’ll need to be fit and you’ll be working in small teams so a sporting background can be advantageous. In this industry, strength and stamina are truly valuable assets. The job revolves around problem solving so if you’re good at overcoming challenges and can think on your feet, this might be the career for you.
REVIEWS
WHAT CUSTOMERS ARE
SAYING ABOUT TREE KING
We couldn't have done it without you; an overwhelming job was made simple by your expertise and Tree King support.
Highly recommend Tree King for any arborist work.
Christine Peters
The quote was prompt & very reasonable . Their staff were pleasant , efficient & friendly. Thank you .
Found these guys through online search and reached out
Great communication and prompt throughout
Completed job matched the quote
Arrived bang on time
Highly recommend
Most recently, we needed a tree stump of a massive palm tree to be ground. This was very close to the water meter and underground internet services. Tree King came in with the latest equipment and skilled staff to remedy the situation.
Overall very happy and happy to recommend to all...
Thank you for running a superb business, hiring amazing people, and maintaining high standards. You really are rocking this Tree King, best in the business by a landslide. 🥳💯👍🏻
1) Great quoting process and very competitive pricing
2) Arrived on time, left the site clean when done
3) Really great group of professionals with good personality!
They cleaned up a hack job done by a competitor, offered some good advice on the work should be done, and didn't mess around with any cost increases when the scope of work took a small pivot.
They will be back in my yard next year/season!
Thank you for running a superb business, hiring amazing people, and maintaining high standards. You really are rocking this Tree King, best in the business by a landslide. 🥳💯👍🏻
They removed two large Macrocarpa trees .
Whole process was seamless and efficient with prompt contact and affordable quote.They did excellent job .If I need another tree removed in future I know where to go.
engage. They were helpful and polite and efficiently mulched and cleared tree debris thoroughly.
I have used Tree King on other occasions and they always delivered to my expectations.
Thee first point of contact person when booking is friendly and helpful.Communication is top rate.My highest recommendation for Tree King.
With Safety at the forefront, these 2 guys worked like Trojans with a skill to be admired. I was continually amazed watching Luke and Yeshi topple this giant tree like 2 Davids and Goliath.
Tree felling is a very dangerous task and these guys with their communication between them (which I learn is key) made me feel confident I was not watching a couple of cowboys chopping a tree down".
Thanks Fellas and the Tree King company. You are at the top of my speed dial for Tree Work
I recommend them to anyone. I will be using this company again. They know what they are doing and have excellent prices. Thank you.
Our job was a relatively small one, but all I can say is I’m glad I engaged Tree King, because from the time I contacted them, they assessed my job, gave me a very reasonable quote there were no surprises for me. They managed my expectations but exceeded them in delivery. Every step of the way this team was superb, and I recommend them completely