Landscape Horticulture Certificate Program
This program provides students with the knowledge and skills to successfully enter and succeed in the field of horticulture. The course is spent learning the theory in the classroom and practicing new skills out in the gardens.
Throughout the program, students participate in the maintenance and development of the Gardens at HCP, performing a variety of tasks common to each season. This includes garden projects, garden maintenance, design proposals and installations and greenhouse work. Students also take numerous field trips during the year to visit other local gardens and garden-related businesses, as well as offsite student work projects.
2025 Landscape Horticulture Certificate Program: January 20 to November 21, 2025
Opens for Applications: March 18, 2024
Application Deadline: November 1, 2024
Program Key Facts:
- The program runs from January to November with a total of 42 weeks
- Full-time Monday to Thursday 9:00 am - 4:00 pm and Friday 9:00 am -12:30 pm (28.5 hours/week)
- Two weeks of Work Experience in August and September with local industry hosts
- Two weeks of summer break in late June / early July
Graduation Requirements:
As this program is a trades program, the attendance and grade requirements are unique to meeting the SkilledTradesBC standards. All students are required to meet these standards.
Attendance:
- Maintain a minimum of 90% attendance for the entire program
- Maintain a minimum of 50% attendance for each individual course
Grades and Coursework:
- Pass all courses with a minimum of 70%
- Pass all Pass / Fail courses
- All courses in the program must be passed to graduate from the program
- Complete all coursework assigned
- Successfully complete Practical Skills and Safe Work Practices
After Graduation:
Upon completion of the program, students receive a both a Pacific Horticulture College program completion certificate and SkilledTradesBC Level 1 and 2 Landscape Horticulturist training levels. Students receive credit for the first two levels of apprenticeship training and 500 work-based training hours toward their Red Seal Certification.
PHC graduates are employed by landscaping companies, nurseries, garden centres, golf courses, municipalities and more. Graduates also work in food production and as landscape designers. Many PHC graduates also go on to start their own horticulture business. Graduates who want to obtain their Red Seal certification can go on to attend Level 3 and 4 of their Landscape Horticulturist Apprenticeship training.
