By Joel Beatson, CLP
Canadian Nursery Landscape Association
The clouds broke and the rain stopped — Mother Nature was smiling on us at the Niagara Parks Commission (NPC) Botanical Gardens and School of Horticulture on September 29. The NPC was a first-time host of the Certified Horticultural Technician (CHT) exam. Months of planning and hours of work by volunteers and students culminated in an extraordinary one-day whirlwind of activity.
There were 20 candidates, including eight third-year students from the NPC School of Horticulture, who tackled both the written and practical portions of the CHT Landscape Maintenance exam. The third-year students will be entering the workforce in the next six months, and many will have already completed the industry standard for certification. The School of Horticulture Alumni Foundation Gateman-Milloy Bursary provides funds to support the students in their certification initiatives.
The practical test day was possible because of the NPC staff and students who worked extensively to prepare the test site. There were also 30 dedicated volunteers from local industry who acted as judges, time-keepers and score runners.
The test site infrastructure was made possible through a generous grant from the Ontario Horticultural Trades Foundation. The Foundation’s support of the test site has helped to promote horticulture while bringing a certification opportunity closer to the Landscape Ontario members of the Golden Horseshoe Chapter. Sponsors are critical to the success of the event and we are grateful to the companies that supplied equipment or materials for the test stations: John Deere, Stihl, Husqvarna, Vanden Bussche Irrigation, Mori Gardens, Hamilton Sod, The Niagara Parks Commission, Landmark Landscape Contractors, and Clintar Groundskeeping Services. Vanden Bussche, a new sponsor, supplied materials for all irrigation stations, which will remain in place as permanent teaching stations for the proposed new irrigation course at the School of Horticulture. The NPC Legends on the Niagara Golf Course and Parks Department also volunteered equipment and materials. Clintar Groundskeeping Services sponsored the lunch for candidates and volunteers, which was prepared by the school’s talented chef and his team.
This test day was unique for many reasons — one of which was the breadth of the area from which industry candidates were drawn. Three candidates from Montreal made the trip to Niagara, and we had others from Ottawa and London, all of which helped make the event truly special. On test day the NPC School of Horticulture also had a visit from Villa Nova and Cardinal Carter secondary schools from the Windsor and Essex County area, helping to introduce the next generation to our industry. Also visiting the site that day was a group from the All Japan Tree Growers Association from Tokyo, Japan.
Unlike the CHT test location in Milton, the NPC site offered seven of the test stations in full view of the public. Combined with great signage and friendly volunteers and staff, the NPC gardens were a perfect setting to increase the visibility of our industry.
NPC School of Horticulture Superintendent, Liz Klose says that this event is significant because it “aligns well with the academic and practical program, providing an opportunity for students to earn a certification for what they have been trained on in our program.” She went on to describe a college diploma as one that can open doors of opportunity for students for their future, and that “the more certifications they have that validate their skills, the more opportunities they will have to chose from.” The test preparations for next fall will begin shortly and with increased support from local industry, the NPC site will become a fixture in the CHT test schedule for years to come.
The school accepts only 12 students per year to the three-year program and runs year-round (40 hours per week, 48 weeks per year for 36 straight months) with the exception of three weeks at Christmas and a week in July. (See
www.schoolofhorticulture.com). Graduates are well prepared to enter the industry. I heard many contractors at the event comment on both the quality of work and the work ethic of the students, despite the saturating amounts of rain on set-up day.
The NPC program is a college/university-level program that meets and exceeds apprenticeship standards. Due to the strong practical component, it envelops the Horticultural Technician program. First-year students qualify to register as Horticulture Technician apprentices and receive their Certification of Apprenticeship, upon successful completion, with their Niagara Parks diploma. The recent connection of the apprenticeship program to the CHT certification creates an excellent synergy that will benefit our industry.
The CHT program sets a minimum standard for knowledge and ability in four classifications: Landscape Maintenance, Landscape Installation, Retail Garden Centre and Interior Landscaping. Work has begun on a Nursery Production designation with plans for a 2007 launch. A combined written and practical exam, CHT allows employers to establish a set standard for employees in our industry. Many employers across North America have integrated the CHT program into their human resources plan, using it as both a standard for hiring and promotion and as a training tool for existing employees. If you are interested in contributing to the future of our industry by being a sponsor or judge, or want more information please visit
www.cht.canadanursery.com or call 1-888-446-3499.
