The Practical Horticulture Apprenticeship Program is offered, in accordance with the General Regulations of the Apprenticeship Act in British Columbia. Further information and application forms may be obtained from:

• Apprenticeship Branch, Ministry of Labour
• 220 - 4946 Canada Way,
• Burnaby, BC. V5G 4J6
• www.itac.gov.bc.ca or 1.888.664.2256

Description

The Practical Horticulture Apprenticeship program involves learning a trade through observation, practice, home study, and the completion of four six-week long technical training periods at Kwantlen. The in-school training takes place over a four-year apprenticeship training program. During the apprenticeship, the apprentice is indentured (bound by contract) to an employer who has agreed to provide the opportunity for the apprentice to work and gain experience in the horticulture industry. At the employer's work place, the apprentice will, whenever possible, receive appropriate practical work experience and exposure to the skills of the trade, in support of the theoretical skills acquired by the apprentice during his/her regularly scheduled in-school technical training periods.

To obtain the necessary experience required as a certified journey-person, an apprentice must be exposed to as many horticultural tasks and skills as possible. Fundamental to this process is the reinforcing of each previous learning experience whether it occurred in school, through apprentice self-training, or on the job.

An apprentice is an employee, and as such is paid an hourly wage by the employer, which increases according to experience and the current journey-person's rate of pay. Apprentice wages start at fifty per cent of the hourly rate paid to journey-persons and increases at six month intervals to ninety percent (union agreements may stipulate a higher rate) over the time of the indenture.

The Practical Horticulture Apprenticeship program is of four years' duration with three specialties: Production Horticulture, Landscape Horticulture, and Arboriculture/Urban Forestry. The first two years of in-school training are common regardless of the specialty chosen. However, years three and four have in-school and on-the-job learning tasks that are unique to each specialty. All training periods are scheduled in the winter and early spring terms to allow apprentices to work during growing seasons.

Student Profile

Apprentices in the Practical Horticulture Apprenticeship program come from a number of horticultural enterprises. For example, they may be working for greenhouse operations, nurseries, tree removal and maintenance companies, golf courses, municipal parks, school boards, or landscape maintenance and/or installation companies.

Content

This program is designed to produce journey-persons with both good theoretical and substantial practical training and experience in the horticulture industry.

Prior Learning Assessment (PLA)

Apprentices may receive credit for year one of the apprenticeship program based on their employment and educational backgrounds. This is determined jointly by the employer, apprentice and the assigned Apprenticeship Counsellor.

Costs

The Provincial Government pays tuition fees on behalf of the apprentices for their in-school training. Apprentices are responsible for books (approx. $720 over the four years) as well as a $50.00 refundable home study deposit. During the in-school technical training periods, apprentices are eligible to collect Employment Insurance benefits.

Note: the above information in currently under review. Please contact the Apprenticeship Branch for additional information.