Horticulture Technician Pre-Apprenticeship Program for Women

The Horticultural Technician Pre-Apprenticeship Program at Humber College is a tuition-free program funded by the Government of Canada that is designed as a transition step for women seeking an apprenticeship in the horticultural trades.

This program prepares women who have a keen interest in the skilled trades for employment in the landscape sector and provides both academic and practical training. It stresses practical skills through applied study at Humber’s on-site construction laboratory and greenhouse, as well as the Humber Arboretum.

Participants will complement their formal training program with an 8-12 week paid work placement in the industry. This will be accomplished through a combination of student input and support from a dedicated Job Developer who will work with you.

Humber College has some of the best facilities for delivery of this type of education. The Humber Arboretum is a 250-acre botanical garden that surrounds the campus and includes ornamental gardens, woodland gardens, wildlife gardens, and ecologically diverse environments centred on the west branch of the Humber River. The Arboretum serves as a unique ‘living classroom’ for plant studies, construction, arboriculture and horticultural skills. Humber’s new construction lab is housed in a weather protected 8000 square foot facility that allows construction of full-scale structures such as decks, gazebos, retaining walls, and water features.

What You’ll Learn

• Plant Identification 1
• Pest Control
• Turf Management 1
• Plant Science
• Landscape Construction 1
• Landscape Equipment Maintenance
• Workplace Safety
• Plant Materials 1
• First Aid
• Trade Calculations
• Workplace Communications

Admission Requirements

• Low-income women seeking a career path in the trades.
• Write an assessment test facilitated by Humber College.
• Attend an interview (by invite only, based on assessment results).
• Minimum Requirement: Grade 12 equivalency demonstrated via High School transcripts. Must be eligible to work in Canada and obtain an Ontario apprenticeship.