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Horticulture & Landscaping

​A diverse array of career opportunities can be found within the Horticulture sector. Locally, job prospects exist in fields ranging from landscape design to greenhouse production and management. Graduates of the Specialist High Skills Major Program in Horticulture possess the knowledge and skills to pursue any number of these opportunities.

​The Horticulture and Landscaping Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) Program provides students with the opportunity to specialize their academic studies, earn certifications and qualifications, and plan their career pathway while they are still in high school. The SHSM Program involves a number of components that provide students with a better understanding of the Horticulture industry, the opportunities that it offers, and the skills needed for success within the sector.  

The Horticulture and Landscaping SHSM Program consists of five required components: 

1. Bundled Credits

Students will complete nine Grade 11 and Grade 12 credits related to their sector of interest, some of which are supplemented with contextualized learning activities (CLA) that frame the subject of study within the context of the Horticulture and Landscaping sector. ​

​Credits​

​Apprenticeship (Grades 11-12)

​College (Grades 11-12)

​University (Grades 11-12)

​Workplace (Grades 11-12)​

​Major Credits Including at least one Grade 11 and one Grade 12 credit  

​4 
One credit may be substituted with an additional co-operative education credit
​4 
One credit may be substituted with an additional co-operative education credit
​4 
One credit may be substituted with an additional co-operative education credit
​4 
One credit may be substituted with an additional co-operative education credit​

​English (Including a CLA)

​1​1​1​1

​Mathematics (Including a CLA)

​1​1​1​1

​Business or Science (Including a CLA)

​1 
One credit may be substituted with an additional co-operative education credit  
​1 
One credit may be substituted with an additional co-operative education credit  
​1 
One credit may be substituted with an additional co-operative education credit  
​1 
One credit may be substituted with an additional co-operative education credit  

​Co-Operative Education

​2​2​2​2


2. Certification and Training

Students will earn both compulsory and elective sector-recognized certifications through cost-free workshops and training courses/programs.​

​​​Four Compulsory Certifications​​

​Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Level C – Includes AED 

​Plant Identification

​Standard First Aid

​Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System – Generic ​


​​​Three Elective Certifications

​Cash Handling and Register Training 

​Customer Service

​Edging and Trimming

​Grading and Drainage 

​Grading and Sodding

​Herbicide and Pesticide  

​Ladder Safety Training 

​Lawn Mower Use and Safety  

​Leadership Skills

​Paver Installation

​Plant Layout 

​Pruning

​Tree Planting  

​Work Orders

​Working at Heights​


3. Career Exploration

Students will explore opportunities in their chosen sector through experiential learning and career exploration activities (field trips, guest speaking engagements, job shadowing). 

4. Reach Ahead Experiences

Students will participate in experiences aligned with the student’s post-secondary plans. 

5. Sector-Partnered Experience

Students will complete a sector-partnered contextualized learning experience.


SHSM Program Recognition

Students who successfully complete a SHSM program receive:​

  • ​An OSSD designated with an embossed red seal;
  • A SHSM record documenting their certification/training achievements;
  • Formal recognition on their Ontario School Transcript.​

Career Pathways

The Horticulture and Landscaping SHSM Program may be right for you if you are interested in careers similar to the following:​

​Apprenticeship

​College

​Arborist
Horticultural Technician
Small Engine Technician
​Floriculture / Retail
Golf Course Technician
Landscape Designer / Technologist
Parks Operations Manager
Tree Service Technician
Urban Forestry and Park Technician

​University

​Workplace

Biologist
Botanist
Horticulturalist
Landscape Architect
Plant Pathologist
Plant Scientist  
​Gardener
Greenhouse Worker
Irrigation Technician
Landscape Labourer
Nursery Production
Pesticide Technician 


For more information, contact your high school Guidance Counsellor.