Horticulture Technician Foundation

Got a green thumb? Get ready for a rewarding career in horticulture. The Horticulture Technician program prepares you for many jobs in the field. And you get to train in working gardens and greenhouses.

At the G.R. Paine Horticultural Centre, a 32-acre site you’ll grow bedding plants, ornamental nursery materials, native plants and forest seedlings. You’ll also work at Milner Gardens and Woodland, a 70-acre estate in Qualicum Beach.

Half your time will be spent in hands-on learning about landscaping and landscape design, nursery work and greenhouse production. You’ll also gain some management skills.

The Horticulture Technician Foundation Certificate Program

The curriculum of this one-year horticultural foundation program has been designed to provide students with a thorough understanding of horticultural principles and practices.

The program covers a broad spectrum of horticultural practices including plant propagation techniques, greenhouse production, nursery crop production, landscape design, landscape construction, and plant identification.

As well, pest and disease management, pruning techniques, and maintenance practices are investigated. Throughout the program, special emphasis will be placed on many aspects of sustainable horticultural practices.

The curriculum used in this program meets the provincial standards set for all one-year horticulture foundation programs.Approximately 50% of the program will be spent in actual “hands-on” training on- and off-campus.

This includes three months working in the industry.

The program is taught at the G.R. Paine Horticulture Centre, on a 5-acre site near the Nanaimo campus. The site contains a “Harnoise Nordique” style greenhouse, a headerhouse, a classroom and lab facility, as well as a containerized nursery.

Students also practice their skills at the Milner Gardens and Woodland, in Qualicum, a garden estate environment where they participate in the day-to-day, season-to-season operational activities.

Admission Requirements

• General Trades admission requirements apply.
• English 12 with minimum “C” grade, or equivalent, or successful completion of English assessment test.
• Minimum “C” grade in one of Principles of Mathematics 11, Applications of Mathematics 11, Foundations of Mathematics 11, Apprenticeship and Workplace Mathematics 11, or successful completion of assessment test.
• Letter, at time of application, indicating reasons for applying to the program and outlining any previous horticultural experience, as well as future career goals.
• Interview.
• Fitness required to participate in physical aspects of the program and industry.

Notes On Admission

• Availability and willingness to participate in plant roster duty on weekends.
• Previous experience in commercial or industrial horticulture is recommended.
• Successful candidates will be selected from qualified applicants on the basis of the personal statement and outcome of the personal interview. Phone interviews may be arranged for out-of-province applicants.

Notes On Completion Requirements

• A Pesticide Applicator’s Certificate must be completed prior to graduation.
• An Occupational Level I First Aid Certificate must be completed prior to graduation.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of this program may find employment in the following industries:

• landscape maintenance and installation companies;
• municipal and regional Parks Departments.
• floriculture and vegetable greenhouse operations;
• ornamental and forest seedling nurseries;
• garden centres and horticultural retail outlets;
• landscape design firms;
• turf enterprises;
• golf courses;
• horticultural supply companies;
• irrigation design and installation firms;
• arborist assistant;
• small scale agriculture;
• community supported agriculture.

Successful completion of this program enables graduates to continue their studies in Apprenticeship or a two-year Diplomaprogram at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in Langley.