Horticulture Technician; Apprentice HTA
Block release means that apprentices take a 12 week break from work to attend classes full time at the college. Over the course of the whole apprenticeship, there are 720 hours of class. Generally, there are 30 hours of class in one week requiring at least half an hour of study/assignments required for each hour in class.
Holland Code: R (Realistic)
What academic skills do I need to be successful in the program?
Apprenticeship programs are run at Fanshawe College in partnership with the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. You can not apply to an apprenticeship program through www.ontariocolleges.ca. Your first step is finding an employer who will support you in your apprenticeship training. The employer must register you as an apprentice with the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. For more information on the process, please see the Fanshawe Apprenticeship website.
Math & Science Basic math required for measurements. High school courses in Geography, construction Engineering Technology, Environmental Science, or Horticulture Construction are useful preparation for this program.
Technology Basic computer skills required (Microsoft Office, email, Internet).
What personal qualities should someone interested in this career have?
- Strong interest to work with plants
- Creative
- Patient
- An eye for detail
- Enjoy working outside
- Good interpersonal skills to relate to their customers, co-workers, and crew members
- Creative problem solving skills
- Decision making skills
Useful background experience for this program would be
- Working in a retail garden centre
- Having a backyard garden
- Passion for being outside, the environment, being in nature
What kind of work will I do when I graduate?
Graduates of this program may go on to become a
Forest nursery worker, greenhouse worker/ supervisor, horticulture worker/ supervisor, hothouse worker, hydroponics worker, nursery worker/ foreperson, grounds maintenance contractor, grounds keeping supervisor, interior plantscaping contractor, lawn care contractor, park maintenance supervisor, or tree service contractor.
Typical working conditions for this kind of work:
- Seasonal work with long hours in summer months
- Often outdoor work, but could be in a greenhouse, or an office
- Considerable lifting, carrying, and bending
- Exposure to plants, pollen, pesticides and other chemicals
- Working at a height of up to ten meters may be required
Places you may find yourself employed include …
Design-build firms, nurseries and greenhouses, golf courses, garden centres, landscaping companies, city park departments, or botanical gardens.
Tasks a graduate may do in the workplace
Landscaping
- Provide advice to customers on plant selection and care
- Prepare the ground for planting
- Identify, plant and transplant greenhouse and nursery stock
- Install rock gardens, ponds, decks, drainage systems, retaining walls, fences, planters or playground equipment
- Seed and sod lawns, care for established lawns
- Trim and prune hedges, trees and shrubs
- Identify plant diseases and insect problems
- Apply fertilizers and pesticides
- Install, operate and maintain irrigation systems
- Work in all aspects of greenhouse and nursery production
Greenhouse
- Determine the type and quantity of plants to grow or stock (for example, cut or potted flowers, bedding plants, vegetables, plant varieties)
- Determine the environmental conditions required to grow the selected plants and set planting and care schedules accordingly
- Design, install, maintain and program environmental control and irrigation systems
- Perform basic structural repairs to the greenhouse
- Identify and control problems caused by insects, rodents, plant diseases or nutritional deficiencies
- Ensure safe handling, use, storage and disposal of pesticides
- Operate and maintain carbon dioxide generators, ultraviolet sterilizers, water treatment machines and related equipment
- Provide information about plant selection and care
- Keep up to date regarding new technologies and techniques (for example, biological crop protection, water capture and recirculation systems, new plant varieties)
Helpful links for further research into this Fanshawe College program and career opportunity
Links to learn more about apprenticeship in general
- www.apprenticesearch.com
- The Apprenticeship Network
- Apprenticetrades.ca
- Ontario College of Trades
- Employer apprenticeship incentives
Links to learn more about Horticulture
- Certified Landscape Technician (CLT)
- Landscape Ontario
- Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA)
- International Society of Aboriculture (ISA)
- Fanshawe’s library has prepared a subject guide for current students in this program. You may find the links and information provided very useful in learning more about this career.
NOC Codes
The National Occupation Classification (NOC) system is used by the Canadian government to provide detailed information on careers. Visit the National Occupation Classification website and use the NOC codes below to learn more about careers associated with this Fanshawe College program. Please note: These codes are listed here for information purposes only. Fanshawe College does not guarantee graduates careers in these fields.
- NOC Code 8255 Contractors and supervisors, landscaping, grounds maintenance and horticulture services
- NOC Code 8432 Nursery and greenhouse workers
The Canada Job Bank is an excellent resource for labour market information including wages, jobs available and career planning advice.
Career Outlook
Explore Fanshawe Career Coach to learn more about related careers, employment, job postings and current local data on wages.
Last Modified: January 15, 2024