Horticulture Technician Apprentice Program

These days, job security has become more important than ever. Whether you’re a highschool senior with graduation looming, or are currently in the workforce in a job you find unfulfilling (or isn’t considered “essential”) this is a MAJOR decision. Now more than ever, we all want to find certainty where we can. As such, now may be the perfect time to turn your eyes towards the landscape industry.

The landscape industry is alive and thriving in Windsor-Essex County, and here at Plantscape we are constantly looking to evolve. What started as a small interior plantscaping business 45 years ago, is now a thriving, multi-generational design /build firm offering a wide variety of services.

We are always on the lookout for growth opportunities, whether it’s utilizing new equipment, implementing updated horticultural practices in the field, or introducing new plant varieties in our landscape designs. And we know that the best way we can achieve that is by investing in our employees.

As a member of Landscape Ontario, we have access to various training opportunities for our staff. These include trade shows (virtual in the time of Covid), online training in categories such as outdoor lighting and irrigation, and CAD design courses just to name a few. These training opportunities are available to both beginner and seasoned members of our team who possess a strong work ethic and display an aptitude for learning and implementing new skills.

One of our latest enterprises has been to take advantage of the Horticulture Technician Apprenticeship Program, which is a Red Seal trade within Ontario. This past winter we had the privilege of enrolling one of our employees, Roch Provost, in the Apprenticeship Program at Fanshawe College.

We reached out to Roch for a first hand account of his experiences in the program and with Plantscape and here is what he had to say:

“I’ve been with Plantscape for just over one year now. During the interview process, Liana (Desmarais, owner/manager) mentioned that an apprenticeship program was an option, and later on in the season when we sat down for a review, offered me the opportunity to attend school at Fanshawe this past winter.

I enjoyed each of the programs the apprenticeship had to offer. It was a great experience, even with the Covid restrictions put in place. I made many good friends and found the education provided was very applicable to the landscaping and horticulture fields. The teachers were very knowledgeable and the horticulture program is regarded as one of the best in Ontario.

While I wasn’t able to work during school because of the distance to London, I was able to collect Employment Insurance during that time, as well as additional incentives with the Employment Insurance SUB program. There is also a maximum of $4000 in government grants for completing the full two year apprenticeship.

This is only my second season with Plantscape, and already I’ve been promoted to maintenance lead where my duties include preparing the site for the day, zero-turn mowing, pruning, trimming and keeping daily documentation of the work performed at each contract we visit to ensure quality during the year. I’m excited that I get to put my new skills and knowledge to use in the field every day.

In my opinion, the Horticulture Apprenticeship program is a great option for anyone who is looking to enter or to upgrade their knowledge in the landscaping or horticulture fields. And once finished also provides students with a horticulture technician red seal accreditation.”

Roch Provost, Maintenance Lead