Nursery Workers
Work in nursery facilities or at customer location planting, cultivating, harvesting, and transplanting trees, shrubs, or plants.
AI Impact Summary
Nursery Workers faces moderate AI displacement risk with a score of 33/100. This occupation has higher AI displacement risk than 59% of all analyzed occupations. Of 24 analyzed tasks, 3 are highly automatable, particularly routine cognitive tasks. Strong protective factors — including social intelligence, creativity, or regulatory barriers — significantly reduce effective risk.
Skill Impact Analysis
AI-Vulnerable Skills (6)
Information Ordering is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
Reading Comprehension is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
Mathematics is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
Memorization is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
Mathematics is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
Programming is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
AI-Resistant Skills (11)
Adaptability/Flexibility is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Manual Dexterity is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Coordination is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Social Perceptiveness is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Leadership is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Service Orientation is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Persuasion is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Negotiation is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
AI-Augmented Skills (7)
Recommended Courses
Courses matched to Nursery Workers skill gaps, ranked by relevance to your displacement risk profile.
Get personalized recommendations. Answer a few questions about your experience and skills to get course suggestions tailored specifically to you.
Upskill to Reduce Risk
Courses addressing your most AI-vulnerable skills
SQL Fundamentals Skill Track
by DataCamp
Estimated Impact
AI-Augmentation Tools
Learn to work alongside AI and boost your productivity
Cybersecurity Fundamentals Path
by Pluralsight
Estimated Impact
Strengthen Your Edge
Double down on skills AI can't replicate
Inspired Leadership Through Emotional Intelligence
by Case Western Reserve University
Estimated Impact
We may earn a commission when you enroll through our links, at no extra cost to you. This helps fund the Takeover Tracker.
Risk reduction and salary impact are estimates based on skill gap analysis, course relevance, and labor market data. Actual results vary by individual circumstance.
Education & Training
Percentage of workers at each education and training level
Education Level
Prior Experience Needed
Work experience required to enter this job
Training Provided After Hiring
How long it typically takes to learn on the job
How AI Impacts Each Task
24 tasks analyzed
Plant, spray, weed, fertilize, and water plants, shrubs, and trees, using hand tools and gardening tools.
Sell and deliver plants and flowers to customers.
Sow grass seed, or plant plugs of grass.
Harvest plants, and transplant or pot and label them.
Regulate greenhouse conditions, and indoor and outdoor irrigation systems.
Dip cut flowers into disinfectant, count them into bunches, and place them in boxes to prepare them for storage and shipping.
Cut, roll, and stack sod.
Feel plants' leaves and note their coloring to detect the presence of insects or disease.
Provide information and advice to the public regarding the selection, purchase, and care of products.
Maintain and repair irrigation and climate control systems.
Dig, cut, and transplant seedlings, cuttings, trees, and shrubs.
Fill growing tanks with water.
Maintain inventory, ordering materials as required.
Record information about plants and plant growth.
Dig, rake, and screen soil, filling cold frames and hot beds in preparation for planting.
Inspect plants and bud ties to assess quality.
Trap and destroy pests, such as moles, gophers, and mice, using pesticides.
Move containerized shrubs, plants, and trees, using wheelbarrows or tractors.
Tie and bunch flowers, plants, shrubs, and trees, wrap their roots, and pack them into boxes to fill orders.
Haul and spread topsoil, fertilizer, peat moss, and other materials to condition soil, using wheelbarrows or carts and shovels.
Clean work areas, and maintain grounds and landscaping.
Operate tractors and other machinery and equipment to fertilize, cultivate, harvest, and spray fields and plants.
Fold and staple corrugated forms to make boxes used for packing horticultural products.
Plant, spray, weed, fertilize, water, and prune plants, shrubs, and trees, using gardening tools.
| Task | AI Capability | Risk | Time % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plant, spray, weed, fertilize, and water plants, shrubs, and trees, using hand tools and gardening tools. | 5Estimated | 11.0% | 8% | |
| Sell and deliver plants and flowers to customers. | 15Estimated | 21.0% | 4% | |
| Sow grass seed, or plant plugs of grass. | 40Estimated | 49.0% | 2% | |
| Harvest plants, and transplant or pot and label them. | 45Estimated | 51.0% | 8% | |
| Regulate greenhouse conditions, and indoor and outdoor irrigation systems. | 92Estimated | 86.0% | 3% | |
| Dip cut flowers into disinfectant, count them into bunches, and place them in boxes to prepare them for storage and shipping. | 50Estimated | 53.0% | 3% | |
| Cut, roll, and stack sod. | 60Estimated | 57.0% | 2% | |
| Feel plants' leaves and note their coloring to detect the presence of insects or disease. | 60Estimated | 51.0% | 4% | |
| Provide information and advice to the public regarding the selection, purchase, and care of products. | 60.85Observed | 39.3% | 5% | |
| Maintain and repair irrigation and climate control systems. | 10Estimated | 13.0% | 3% | |
| Dig, cut, and transplant seedlings, cuttings, trees, and shrubs. | 10Estimated | 13.0% | 6% | |
| Fill growing tanks with water. | 70Estimated | 61.0% | 2% | |
| Maintain inventory, ordering materials as required. | 92Estimated | 86.0% | 3% | |
| Record information about plants and plant growth. | 87Estimated | 84.0% | 3% | |
| Dig, rake, and screen soil, filling cold frames and hot beds in preparation for planting. | 40Estimated | 49.0% | 4% | |
| Inspect plants and bud ties to assess quality. | 55Estimated | 49.0% | 4% | |
| Trap and destroy pests, such as moles, gophers, and mice, using pesticides. | 10Estimated | 13.0% | 2% | |
| Move containerized shrubs, plants, and trees, using wheelbarrows or tractors. | 60Estimated | 57.0% | 5% | |
| Tie and bunch flowers, plants, shrubs, and trees, wrap their roots, and pack them into boxes to fill orders. | 45Estimated | 51.0% | 4% | |
| Haul and spread topsoil, fertilizer, peat moss, and other materials to condition soil, using wheelbarrows or carts and shovels. | 45Estimated | 51.0% | 5% | |
| Clean work areas, and maintain grounds and landscaping. | 50Estimated | 53.0% | 4% | |
| Operate tractors and other machinery and equipment to fertilize, cultivate, harvest, and spray fields and plants. | 70Estimated | 61.0% | 4% | |
| Fold and staple corrugated forms to make boxes used for packing horticultural products. | 75Estimated | 63.0% | 2% | |
| Plant, spray, weed, fertilize, water, and prune plants, shrubs, and trees, using gardening tools. | 5Estimated | 11.0% | 8% |
Protective Factors
Total protective discount: 21.5%
Essential Soft Skills
Traits that are hard for AI to replicate
Wage & Employment (2024)
Median Wage
$35,690
per year
Mean Wage
$37,850
per year
Employment
262K
workers
Wage Range
$32,260 - $46,370
10th - 90th pct
Wage Distribution
Explore other career paths
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Alternate Career Paths
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Recommendations
Skills to Develop
These skills are at risk from AI automation. Nursery Workers professionals should diversify beyond them.
- Information Ordering
Information Ordering is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
- Reading Comprehension
Reading Comprehension is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
- Mathematics
Mathematics is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
- Memorization
Memorization is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
- Mathematics
Mathematics is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
Skills to Leverage
These human-centric skills remain difficult for AI to replicate. Double down here.
- Adaptability/Flexibility
Adaptability/Flexibility is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
- Manual Dexterity
Manual Dexterity is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
- Coordination
Coordination is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
- Social Perceptiveness
Social Perceptiveness is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
- Leadership
Leadership is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Tools to Adopt
AI can amplify these skills. Learn the tools that augment rather than replace your work.
- Critical Thinking
Critical Thinking will be enhanced by AI. Develop expertise in using AI tools for this skill to increase productivity.
- Monitoring
Monitoring will be enhanced by AI. Develop expertise in using AI tools for this skill to increase productivity.
- Writing
Writing will be enhanced by AI. Develop expertise in using AI tools for this skill to increase productivity.
- Judgment and Decision Making
Judgment and Decision Making will be enhanced by AI. Develop expertise in using AI tools for this skill to increase productivity.
- Active Learning
Active Learning will be enhanced by AI. Develop expertise in using AI tools for this skill to increase productivity.
Score History
Risk score over 2 scoring runs
overall change