More than a job: How GW Landscapes rewrote the recruitment playbook offering careers to youth at risk

The workforce challenges

GW Landscapes is a commercial landscaping company specialising in large-scale projects in Western Sydney. Like many businesses in the area, GWL faced workforce shortages. However, for a company deeply rooted in the Western Sydney community, simply filling roles wasn’t enough. The leadership team had been exploring ways to connect with groups often excluded from the traditional hiring pipeline and to create pathways for success, particularly for young people facing barriers such as limited education, lack of transport, or prior involvement with the justice system. 

Joining the Employer Innovation Lab in May 2023 marked a strategic move towards this goal. From the outset, GWL committed to offering career paths to Western Sydney youth who had left school at Year 10, focusing on creating good quality employment options and careers.

Without Social Ventures Australia and the Employer Innovation Lab, this role—and everything we’ve achieved through the pilot—wouldn’t have been possible. Their support in designing, refining, and evaluating this initiative set us up for success. It changed how we think about workforce development” Peter Adcock • Managing Director GW Landscapes

Building the pilot

While the pilot targeted young people, GWL looked at inclusion more broadly – creating opportunities for other disadvantaged groups, including single mothers, Indigenous people and those transitioning from detention. Paul Hutchinson, a dedicated program coordinator, was at the heart of it. This was a new role, identified in the Lab’s early days, that proved pivotal to the pilot’s success.

Over 17 months, GWL:

• Simplified job descriptions to make roles more accessible.
• Raised apprentice wages to attract more candidates.
• Built clear communication with employment service providers to improve candidate referrals.
• Introduced structured probation reviews to track progress and well-being.
• Provided wraparound support such as mentoring and guidance for mental health needs.

From its start, the pilot addressed practical barriers head-on. For example, once transport was identified as a significant issue for young people staying in jobs, GWL decided to use, in some cases, company vehicles to help apprentices go to work and earn driving hours for their licences.

Wages were another sticking point. For many young people, the standard apprenticeship wage of $13.90 an hour couldn’t compete with retail jobs offering $24. In response, GWL raised first-year apprentice wages to $20 an hour, making the program competitive.

Applicants received coaching on job applications, including resume writing and navigating medical check requirements. The support extended well beyond the application phase, with regular check-ins. These progress reviews weren’t just about performance—they helped track progress, identify areas for growth, and focused on employee’s well-being.

The Employer Innovation Lab gave us the tools to listen to our workforce and refine our practices. Without SVA, we wouldn’t have been able to launch this program or create the systems that are now integral to our operations. They supported us in designing the pilot, and adapting it based on feedback, and evaluating its impact” Paul Hutchinson • Project Manager Employment Pathways GW Landscapes

A continuous learning curve

Every pilot comes with lessons, and this was no exception.

In its early days, employment service providers flooded GWL with applications for the available positions, yet many applicants had not been properly briefed about the role they were applying for. Building clear and honest communication refined the process and helped shift the focus toward individuals who were ready to engage with available opportunities. As a result, GWL hired 32 young people. To date, 21 new hires have passed their probation period, and six have reached the one-year mark.

Gradually the maintenance division grew from 35 to 59 – and that brought an unexpected outcome: with a steady pipeline of new hires, GWL’s existing staff had, for the first time, the chance to take on more responsibilities. The structured processes helped create a pipeline for internal promotions; some mentored newcomers and stepped into management positions.

Eventually, the pilot’s biggest impact was the organisation’s cultural shift. It strengthened team morale, boosted leadership opportunities and transformed the organisational culture, prioritising well-being and personal development as a way to boost productivity. GWL now focuses on “people flourishing,” which has become a cornerstone of its success.