continuing horticultural education in ontario
TRANSCRIPT
CONTINUING EDUCATION IN HORTICULTUREHorticultural Technician Pre-Apprenticeship 2016
KATE RAYCRAFT
2009 – HBA in Environmental Policy&Practice, History, and English, University of Toronto2010 – C.R.A.F.T. Organic Farming Internship2012 – Permaculture Design Certificate, Kootenay Permaculture2012-2013 – Career Foundation Pre-Apprenticeship / Arborist Level 1, Humber College2014 – ISA Certified Arborist2016 – Pesticide Exterminator License – ForestryOther Credits: AutoCAD, Landscape Design, Standard First Aid
Employment: Service Sector, Swim Instructor/Lifeguard, Enersource, EcoSource, Rooftops Canada (Kenya), UofT Community Food Programming, Tree Care, Landscaping, City of Toronto Parks Handyworker/Gardener, Career Foundation
Volunteering: Habitat for Humanity (Miami), FoodShare, La Iguana Cacao Farm (Costa Rica), UofT Environmental Resource Network, CultivateTO, Toronto Seed Library, Not Far From the Tree
Hobbies: Camping, cycling, travel, arts&crafts, vidya
STORYTyme
Why Continue to Learn?
Attributes of Success Work Safely Teamwork Reliable and
mature Organized Shows
Initiative Self-Advocacy Independent
Worker
Problem Solver Decision
Maker Networker Creative Professional Physically Fit Continuous
Learning
How to Keep Learning Industry Associations Professional Accreditations College credits and Continuing Ed
certificates Workshops and Seminars Trade Shows Volunteering
To make it even more complicated…
This:
How to Decide? Think about where you want to be
Completing Your Present Journey
Apprenticeship
Benefits of Apprenticeship
Ontario Loans for Tools Apprenticeship Incentive Grant - $1000/yr for up
to 2 years upon completion of level 1 and level 2 Apprenticeship Loan – up to $4000 per period of
technical training, no interest until completed Journeyperson exam
Landscape Ontario Scholarships EI while in school and during off-season Hort is a Red Seal trade
Apprenticeship Process1. Sign up with your employer as an
apprentice with the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, and the Ontario College of Trades ($60/yr)
2. Complete Hort Tech Level 2 ($650)3. Complete Training Standard booklet
with employer’s sign off4. Complete Journeyperson Exam, $150
and 125 multiple choice questions5. 70% on exam = completion grant of
$2000
The Journeyperson Exam Go over
Apprenticeship Training Standard Try some Sample Questions Tips:
Ask your employer and coworkers for help preparing
Read as much as possible Try teaching someone else Identify what you don’t know Fail to plan = plan to fail
Make a study schedule and stick to it!
• Landscape Ontario• Irrigation Association• Green Roofs Healthy Cities• Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute• International Society of Arboriculture• Snow and Ice Management Association• Society for Organic Urban Land Care• Equipment Handling• Working at Heights
Industry Certifications
Landscape Ontario Provincial association – others in other
provinces Federal body – Canadian Nursery
Landscape Asso (CNLA) Largest hort trade association in North
America “Professional, ethical, recognized for
benefits landscape and green infrastructure provide”
Landscape Ontario Student membership is FREE, comes
with trades mag subscriptions, seminar discounts, chapter meetings, discounts with partners
Landscape Ontario Certification Trailer Landscape Industry Certified Technician
(wayback playback)
Landscape Ontario Landscape Industry Certified Technician (CLT)
Recommended min. 2000 hrs/1 yr experience Practical stations + 2.5 hr written test Maintenance
Ornamental Maintenance Turf Maintenance
Installation Softscape Installation Hardscape Installation
Irrigation Interiors
Certified Retail Horticulturist (CHT) Manuals each $100+tax Shipping $25+tax Exam registration $80+tax
Landscape Ontario Certified Landscape Designer (CLD)
7 years experience as landscape designer 1-4 must be in related post-secondary education
Achieve min 70% on each exam section: Communications Landscape Construction Design Grading and Drainage Horticulture Practice
Portfolio submission with 3 client references Training manual $50+tax, shipping Exam fee $425, discount for CNLA members
Landscape Ontario Certified Landscape Manager (CLM)
Recommended minimum 2000 hrs management experience Achieve at least 70% in each section:
Marketing and Sales Management Leadership and Corporate Citizenship Innovation, Strategic, Business and Succession Planning Risk/Law/Contract/Gov’t Technical – Exterior or Interior Landscaping HR Management Corporate Financial Management
Manual set $425+tax+shipping, discount for CNLA members
Exam fee $425+tax, discount for CNLA members
Landscape Ontario Recertification for all CNLA (Landscape
Ontario) Certifications is every 2 years: $75 24 Continuing Education Units Required:
Seminars Workshops Volunteering for Industry Events Judging Certification Tests Speaking, Writing, Reading Books Can pre-approve CEUs
Irrigation Association Leading org for irrigation equipment and
system manufacturers, dealers, distributors, designers, consultants, contractors, end users…
~10 different certifications available Certified Irrigation Technician
6 months / 1000 hrs of industry experience Pass 3 hr exam, 100 multiple choice questions
Basic irrigation principles Basic electrical principles Basic hydraulics
Water Smart Water Smart Irrigation Professional
Peel, York, Hamilton and LO Educates contractors to provide water-
efficient irrigation practices to clients Smart tech – computerized systems that
deliver water efficiently, accounting for rainfall
In-class and field training Application basis, free of charge
Green Roofs Healthy Cities Green Roof Professionals (GRP)
3 courses, $400-$500 USD each incl materials + lunch1. Design and Installation2. Waterproofing and Drainage3. Plants and Growing Media
Exam $495 US, must maintain yearly membership, 16 CEUS every 2 years
Interlocking Paving Institute North American trade association for
interlocking concrete paving industry Various installer courses:
Concrete Paver Installer Commercial Paver Tech Permeable Interlocking
$350 each, discounts for members
International Society of Arboriculture
“Promotes professional practice of arboriculture and fosters greater worldwide awareness of benefits of trees”
Many horticulturists have a big gap in their knowledge of trees, which are a very large (physically), important, and costly part of many landscapes
ISA Certified Arborist 3+ years eligible, practical work experience in arboriculture and/or degree in
arb, hort, LandArch, or forestry Soil management ID and selection Installation and establishment Safe Work Practices Tree Biology Pruning Diagnosis and Treatment Urban Forestry Tree Protection Tree Risk Management
$375USD exam fee
Snow & Ice Management Association
Advanced Snow Management Courses1. Core principles2. Plowing operations3. Sidewalk operations4. Ice management
Certificate term: 10 years
Society for Organic Urban Land Care (S.O.U.L)
Organic Land Care Accreditation Organic Horticulture Specialist Organic Master Gardener Organic Land Care Accreditation
Course $100 exam fee, prerequisite one
of the above courses, each ~$700
600 questions, 3 hrs, must achieve 80%
Equipment Handling Skid Steer Certification (Bobcat etc)
5 hrs $240 (half price for LO members)
Equipment Handling Compact Excavator Safe Operator
5 hrs $240 (half price for LO members)
Equipment Handling Chainsaw Training
Now required by Ministry of Labour for landscapers
Two days $480, or $250 for LO members
Working at Heights Training Mandatory for working at 10’ above
ground or more as of April 1, 2015 Full day $265/$200 for LO members
Other Certifications
Toronto Botanical Garden Certificate in Horticultural Therapy Certificate in Floral Design Certificate in Garden Design (with
George Brown College Continuing Ed) Certificate in Urban Beekeeping
Universities and Colleges Ryerson Certificate in Landscape Design
Humber College Floral Design
…and more!
Seminars, Workshops, and Events
Seminars and Workshops Landscape Ontario Professional Developme
nt Plant Science Business Development Equipment Handling Irrigation Integrated Pest Management Lawn Care Landscape Construction + Installation Landscape Design + Software Safety and First Aid
Seminars and Workshops Employer Sponsored Training
If an employer ever brings up internal or external courses, express an interest and take advantage
They may sponsor you through Hort Tech Lvl 2 at Humber, or other certifications
Events LO Toronto Chapter
March 31, 2016 – “Wet Cast vs Dry Cast” (concrete discussion)
LO Congress (January) Canada Blooms (March 11-20, 2016,
Exhibition) Volunteer to get in free YouTube Tour of 2015 Displays
LO Thrive (September, Ancaster Fairgrounds) Formerly known as Garden Expo
Events LO Snowposium
New products, snow removal equipment and tech Talks on business side of things, best practices
Grey to Green Ryerson, June 1-4, 2016 “Addressing Climate Change with Green Infrastructure”
Seedy Saturday/Sunday Usually free or donation basis
Leaside Garden Society “No Guff Vegetable Gardening”, Thu March 12, 2016
North York Garden Club “Gardening with Native Plants”, Mon March 28, 2016
Volunteering
Why Volunteer? Build skills in a lower-pressure environment (unlike
work), and for free (unlike school) Meet like-minded people
…who may one day be future bosses, clients, coworkers, collaborators, BFFs [SOs]
Psychological benefits Resume fodder
Prove to future employers/clients that you have energy, good will, initiative, and passion
Get some extra references Work on meaningful projects that don’t generate
income (yet)
Types of Volunteer Positions One day Project-based
Festival/conference/event preparation, delivery, support
Term commitment One year / six months is common Indefinite
Skilled / semi-skilled / unskilled Informal / other
Where to Volunteer?
Tend to have highly organized volunteer program More structure
Roles more clearly defined Often well funded (relatively
speaking!) Can be a relaxed atmosphere Often fewer chances to do
“higher level” tasks More dishing soup, licking
envelopes, filing, pulling weeds Less planning, writing, pitching
(selling), strategizing, coordinating
More variety in types of jobs available: “Nuts and bolts” positions
available, but also, Be a leader
Chance to take initiative See your ideas in action Be NEEDED More responsibility Higher stakes
Can be your role to create organization and structure
Often limited funding, if any Can be higher stress
Big / Established Organization Small / New Organization
Some Suggestions Community Work (all
have gardens) Evergreen Brickworks The Stop Community Fo
od Centre FoodShare Black Creek Community
Farm Afri-Can Food Basket
Conservation and Stewardship Toronto & Region Conse
rvation Authority Credit Valley Conservati
on Riverwood Conservanc
y Green Toronto Toronto Children’s Eco
Camps High Park Nature Live Green Toronto
Some Suggestions Backyard Farming
Not Far From the Tree CultivateTO Toronto Urban Growers (networking) Sharing Backyards (website down?)
The Stop’s “Yes In My Backyard ” Horticultural Societies and Garden Clubs
Mycological Society of Toronto North American Native Plant Society Ontario Rock Garden and Hardy Plant Society Society of Ontario Nut Growers Toronto Cactus and Succulent Club
"The lyf so short, the craft so long to lerne.“ - Chaucer