This four year program consists of eight weeks each year of classroom instruction and a minimum of 1,260 hours of on-the-job training per period of classroom instruction.
You will receive hands-on experience ranging from botany, landscape design, operating machinery and basic surveying, irrigation, horticulture marketing and greenhouse production; gaining foundational knowledge in every part of the industry and the skills required to start out on your own.
View 2026-2027 Classroom Instruction dates through Apprenticeship and Industry Training’s Class Catalogue
View 2026-2027 Classroom Instruction Registration Opening Dates
When you graduate from your apprenticeship education program, you will earn an Advanced Diploma. A credential in a designated trade also qualifies you for an Alberta Journeyperson Certificate, which authorizes you to work unsupervised in your trade. You'll receive both at the same time.
This is a Red Seal trade. Apprentices who have obtained Journeyperson certification are encouraged to write the national standard exam. The Red Seal, when affixed to a provincial or territorial trade certificate, indicates that a tradesperson has demonstrated the knowledge required for the national standard in that trade.
Journeyperson Certification is through AIT and an educational credential.
Please visit Alberta’s Apprenticeship & Industry Training website to Begin an Apprenticeship.
There are several pathways to begin a career in the skilled trades, depending on your experience, education and career goals. Whether you're a high school student exploring dual credit opportunities, looking to enter the workforce through pre-employment training, pursuing an apprenticeship, or interested in a full-time certificate or diploma, Olds College offers flexible training routes to help you get started and advance your career. Explore the Trades Training Routes guide to find the option that's right for you.
Workplace safety and occupational skills; tools, equipment, and vehicles; site assessment, grading, and drainage; plant properties, grassland, and parkals; soil and water; and turfgrass and exterior softscape maintenance.
Surveying and site assessment; conservation; hardscape installation and maintenance; physiology, boreal, montane, and wetland plans; landscape pests; and softscape installation and pruning.
Project management; landscape construction and irrigation; softscape maintenance; sustainable horticultural practices; urban forestry and arboriculture; and growing facilities.
Business administration; contract management; landscape design; sustainable landscape technologies; specialty crops; and nursery production and greenhouse crops.
Review the Apprenticeship Registration Information page for important details about the enrolment process, registration requirements, tuition and fees, payment options and other information to help you prepare for apprenticeship training at Olds College.
Landscape Horticulturists can find employment in a variety of industries that will take advantage of their expertise in ground and plant maintenance and landscape construction, including:
Visit ALIS to find Occupational Profiles with current wages, industry trends and more!
Find out when your term start and end dates are, so that you know when you are expected to be in attendance. For more information, please review the Program Dates & Fee Schedule.
You will be registered into your classes automatically. This will happen approximately 1 month prior to the start-date for your program. You will be notified once you have been timetabled into your courses. You will be able to see your class schedule in your My Olds College account. If you need to make any changes to your class registration, please contact the Office of the Registrar.
It is required that you come to Olds College of Agriculture & Technology with the following technology:
As part of your student accounts, all students have access to Office 365 for the duration of their time with Olds College. To access this you just need to follow these steps:
This will give you access to the full Office suite on your computer, for both Windows and Mac-based platforms.
All apprentices are required to purchase the following items prior to the start of your program:
Warm outdoor work clothes
Work gloves
CSA approved boots (steel toe)
Period Specific Equipment
Period 1: No extra equipment required.
Period 2: Within the first few days of class, apprentices will be required to pay approx. $55 at the Tool Room in the WJE Trades Building. *Please save your receipt*. Bring the receipt to your next class to receive your two circle templates and scale ruler; without the receipt you will not be issued your tools.
Period 3: Please bring your circle templates and scale ruler from Period 2. There is no equipment to borrow and you will have to repurchase if your templates and ruler are lost or damaged.
Period 4: (1) Apprentices are required to pay a deposit of $100 for their Design Kit Tool Tags. You will receive a refund when you return the kit at the end of your training; and (2) please bring your circle templates and scale ruler from Period 2.
Information on other required textbooks and any further supplies will be provided as you attend each class. All books and supplies will be available during the first few weeks of classes in the College Campus Store.
Safety Regulations: Wearing safety equipment and abiding by industry safety standards is mandatory within our program.
Apprenticeship ILMs: We use the Apprenticeship ILMs (Individual Learning Modules) as our reference material. These modules take the place of textbooks and are available at the Olds College Campus Store at 1.800.661.6537 or 403.556.4630. They are packaged by classroom instruction period.
Employment Insurance: Information on applying for Employment Insurance benefits is provided in your MyTradesecrets account
Connect directly with the recruitment team at Olds College to get personalized support as you explore your pathway to post-secondary study. Whether you have questions about programs, admission requirements, campus life or next steps in your application journey, our recruitment specialists are here to help you make informed decisions and plan with confidence.
Each year you complete a period of classroom instruction and a minimum of 1,260 hours of paid on‑the‑job training per period, giving a blend of theory and practical, paid experience.
You will learn botany, landscape design and planning, site assessment and grading, hardscape and softscape installation and maintenance, irrigation systems, greenhouse or nursery production, turf and plant maintenance, machinery and equipment operation, drainage and environmental site work, and landscaping construction and maintenance practices.
Upon completion you receive an Advanced Diploma and assuming on‑the‑job hour requirements are met and any necessary exams passed, become eligible for the Alberta Journeyperson Certificate and may pursue the national Red Seal endorsement.
You can work in landscaping and landscape construction, residential or commercial grounds maintenance, municipal parks, golf course maintenance, urban tree care, greenhouse and nursery operations, or start your own landscape business.
Review the Apprenticeship Registration Information page to help you prepare for your time at Olds College.
