Funding provided through
the Canada - British Columbia Labour Market Agreement:

Horticulture Basics Training Program

The BC Landscape & Nursery Association (BCLNA) is a not-for-profit organization responsible for the advancement of the Horticulture Industry; retail, nursery and landscape commodity sectors.

'The Horticultural Basics© Training Program was developed to address the industry’s need for skilled entry level employees.

The program offers your employees ‘a step’ in the right direction to get them going with foundational skills and knowledge required to be better qualified within this industry. Whether it is retail, nursery or landscape, this training is designed to enhance and upgrade skills through theoretical and practical industry skills instruction. A trained employee is invaluable to your success as a business operator.

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Purpose of the Program

• Enhance the skill, competence and confidence of your staff
• Encourage continuous growth and development of individuals
• Prepare people for current and future work opportunities

For a limited time these FREE sessions are available to small business. Encouraging your employees to attend a Horticultural Basics© training session is an investment of time that will benefit your business and increase employee skills, competence and confidence.

Objectives of the Program

• Provide entry level workers with the foundation skills and knowledge needed to be permanently employed in the horticulture industry in BC
• Become an educational delivery model to provide sustainable training pathways to future horticulture certification, apprenticeship or diploma programs

Data was collected by the BC Landscape and Nursery Association (BCLNA) and the results indicate that for landscapers and garden centers, access to qualified labour was their number one issue and for growers, access to qualified skilled and unskilled labour was listed as their number two issue.

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Program Benefits

• Knowledgeable employees improve efficiency and effectiveness on the job site
• Better skills and competency result in less staff absenteeism and injury
• Training is an investment in employee professional growth and potential
• Increases employee motivation and job satisfaction
• Training may reduce staff turnover; this relates to increased loyalty and commitment
• Standardized training will assist the Horticulture Industry in adapting to newer methods and technologies
• Customers appreciate knowledgeable employees

BCLNA’s Industry Skills Training - Horticulture Basics© program is a proactive response to an important industry issue.

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Program Details

BC Landscape and Nursery Association advocates knowledge and development of practical career options for horticulture employees. Thereby encouraging staff to think and plan for long term employment within industry sectors. Some of the training topics currently available:

FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS:

• Introduction to Horticulture
• Industry Sustainability
• Introduction to Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
• Workplace professionalism (includes attitude and dress)
• Communication
• Conflict resolution
• Leadership
• Customer service
• Problem solving skills

INDUSTRY SPECIFIC SKILLS:

• Soil, Fertility and Cultural Management
• Plant Use and Maintenance
• Field Harvesting Techniques
• Plant Grading, Shipping and Receiving
• Equipment Operation & Maintenance

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Eligibility

To qualify for the BCLNA Horticulture Basics© Small Business Employee Training Program your business must have less than 50 employees and have staff requiring additional training for the workplace. Employees who may not have a high school education or who are currently unable to enter post secondary horticulture programs are the ideal candidate for this opportunity.

This pilot project has space available for 400 employees across three regions in BC. This free training will target the following participants in these regions:

• Southern Vancouver Island
• Southwest BC
• Thompson Okanagan

Space is limited. Please watch for course topics and training dates to be posted on the Google Calendar. If you are ready to move your team to the next level of performance, contact Ann Marie Walsh (604) 574-7772 to discuss your professional development needs.

Email Ann Marie Walsh, Industry Skills Training Coordinator

Email Joy DeMelo, Industry Skills Training Assistant

Go to the Course Schedule on Google Calendar

Download the Schedule of Training Events

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