Opportunity for Apprentices to Cultivate Landscaping Careers in the Bay of Quinte Region
Belleville, Ontario, May 12, 2016 – Loyalist College has received approval from the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) to offer the Horticulture Technician Apprenticeship program at its Belleville campus and industry partner Connon Nurseries in Quinte West. The apprenticeship, which allows participants to ‘earn while they learn,’ includes 720 hours of in-school training and 5,400 hours of on-the-job training. Eligible apprentices can start the Level 1 in-class training in January 2017. To register, employers and qualified employees can visit horticulturetechnician.ca or contact the Landscape Ontario Apprenticeship Team at apprenticeship@landscapeontario.ca.
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“We are delighted to introduce the new Horticulture Technician Apprenticeship, which combines in-class College education and on-the-job training. This partnership with Connon Nurseries, involving LOHTA and its members in Eastern Ontario, creates an excellent pathway for individuals to pursue a rewarding career in landscape horticulture. Given the shortage of skilled labour in this field and the increasing emphasis on sustainability, graduates’ expansive career options range from design and growth to installation and maintenance of green infrastructure. Offered through Loyalist’s School of Applied Sciences, Skills and Technology, the new apprenticeship builds on our Environmental, Biotechnology, Construction Renovation and Civil Engineering diploma programs to further benefit students, employers, and community.” – Ann Drennan, Dean of the School of Applied Sciences, Skills & Technology
“We are very aware of the importance and opportunity that the apprenticeship training program provides to our industry and for the Canadian economy. For this reason, we supported and endorsed Loyalist College in applying to become a teaching Delivery Agent for the Horticulture Technician program in the Upper Canada chapter. Landscape Ontario has identified apprenticeship training programs as a top priority to meet our HR skills development and competency objectives in response to the known skilled labour gap. In an effort to meet the demand of the industry and provide a trained workforce, Landscape Ontario has allocated funding and resources to assist in developing and streamlining the apprenticeship registration process in Eastern Ontario for employers, apprentices and industry. This increased demand will require relevant and expanded infrastructure to provide apprentices with specialized training in their local region. We support Loyalist as we are confident that the industry can drive sustainable registration intake and completions.” – Sally Harvey, Manager of Education, Labour Development, and Eastern Ontario Region LOHTA
About Loyalist College
We put you to work™. When it comes to grads getting jobs, 87.4 percent of the College’s most recent graduates found employment within six months of graduation compared to the provincial average of 83.6 percent, according to Provincial Key Performance Indicator (KPI) results released in April 2016. Located on more than 200 acres in the beautiful Bay of Quinte region, Loyalist College is a close-knit community where students and their success come first. Loyalist provides personalized attention in small classes, rewarding field placements and superior student services. To prepare students for in-demand careers, Loyalist offers more than 60 full-time programs; apprenticeships; and hundreds of online, distance and in-class courses, as well as opportunities for continuing education through more than 70 university transfer agreements. The College’s wide selection of advanced diplomas, diplomas and certificates aligns with market-driven disciplines including applied sciences, biosciences, building sciences, business and management studies, health sciences, human studies, justice studies, media, arts and design, and skills and technology. In Ontario, the College’s new Digital Media Centre and the LEED® Silver certified Sustainable Skills, Technology and Life Sciences Centre are training centres of choice for students, as well as College business and industry partners. The College is a key driver of the social and economic health and prosperity of the area and contributes 5.4 percent to the Gross Regional Product. This represents an overall effect on the regional economy of $530 million – based on a 2014 Report by Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI). For more information on the College’s Belleville and Bancroft campuses, visit loyalistcollege.com.
About Landscape Ontario Horticultural Trades Association (LOHTA)
Landscape Ontario Horticultural Trades Association (LOHTA) started in 1973 and is a vibrant association representing over 2,400 horticultural professional company owners who employ almost 70,000 full-time equivalent workers. Members include landscape, maintenance and snow management contractors, landscape designers, lawn care operators, garden centre owners, arborists, nursery growers, interior landscapers, and irrigation and landscape lighting contractors, and are located across nine geographical chapters in Ontario. Landscape Ontario is a dynamic association offering professional development opportunities, industry trade shows and conferences, consumer events and cost savings benefits. Our mission is to be the leader in representing, promoting and fostering a favourable climate for the advancement of the horticulture industry in Ontario. With that, Landscape Ontario has formed numerous relationships with other organizations, associations, municipalities and educational institutions who share the common goal to promote the benefits of landscaping and horticulture and careers in horticulture.
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Media Contact: Kerry Lorimer, Director of Marketing and Communications,
Loyalist College, klorimer@loyalistc.on.ca, (613) 969-1913, ext. 2536