STUDENTS

This career will prepare students to begin working as a landscaping & groundskeeping worker.  With on-the-job training years beyond the first year, students will play a key role in learning the landscaping business which will assist them in becoming a first line supervisor that will enable them to coordinate activities of workers engaged in landscaping or groundskeeping activities.  Work may involve reviewing contracts to ascertain service, machine and workforce requirements; answering inquiries from potential customers regarding methods, material, and price ranges; and preparing estimates according to labor, material, and machine costs.  

Discover why apprenticeship is your pathway to success in horticulture! FNGLA’s Nursery & Landscape Apprenticeship program offers on-the-job training and classroom instruction, ensuring skills development and employment stability—91% of graduates retain jobs. Watch and learn how you can grow your career!

Learn more about employability from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

What you can learn: 

Applicants interested in Landscape Operations should:

• Be detail oriented
• Possess strong organizational and problem-solving skills
• Have a strong interest in learning this career field

Student will learn the following: 

• Gather and remove litter.
• Use hand tools, such as shovels, rakes, pruning saws, saws, hedge or brush trimmers, or axes.
• Operate vehicles or powered equipment, such as mowers, tractors, twin-axle vehicles, snow blowers, chainsaws, electric clippers, sod cutters, or pruning saws.
• Water lawns, trees, or plants, using portable sprinkler systems, hoses, or watering cans.
• Prune or trim trees, shrubs, or hedges, using shears, pruners, or chain saws.
• Mix and spray or spread fertilizers, herbicides, or insecticides onto grass, shrubs, or trees, using hand or automatic sprayers or spreaders.
• Care for established lawns by mulching, aerating, weeding, grubbing, removing thatch, or trimming or edging around flower beds, walks, or walls.
• Follow planned landscaping designs to determine where to lay sod, sow grass, or plant flowers or foliage.
• Trim or pick flowers and clean flower beds.
• Attach wires from planted trees to support stakes.
• Plant seeds, bulbs, foliage, flowering plants, grass, ground covers, trees, or shrubs, and apply mulch for protection, using gardening tools.
• Mow or edge lawns, using power mowers or edgers.
• Rake, mulch, and compost leaves.
• Decorate gardens with stones or plants.
• Use irrigation methods to adjust the amount of water consumption and to prevent waste.
• Provide proper upkeep of sidewalks, driveways, parking lots, fountains, planters, burial sites, or other ground features.
• Maintain irrigation systems, including winterizing the systems and starting them up in spring.
• Plan or cultivate lawns or gardens.
• Maintain or repair tools, equipment, or structures, such as buildings, greenhouses, fences, or benches, using hand or power tools.
• Care for artificial turf fields, periodically removing the turf and replacing cushioning pads or vacuuming and disinfecting the turf after use to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.
• Install rock gardens, ponds, decks, drainage systems, irrigation systems, retaining walls, fences, planters, or playground equipment.
• Care for natural turf fields, making sure the underlying soil has the required composition to allow proper drainage and to support the grasses.
• Advise customers on plant selection or care.
• Haul or spread topsoil or spread straw over seeded soil to hold soil in place.
• Mark design boundaries, and paint natural or artificial turf fields with team logos or names before events.
• Build forms and mix and pour cement to form garden borders.

Pathways:

Students who are interested could continue their education in one or more of the following ways:

FNGLA Apprenticeship

FSW – Business Development and Entrepreneurship (CCC) 

FSW - Business Administration and Management (AS Degree) 

*Many skills learned are transferable to other trades.  

Program Information and Certifications eligible to be earned

Students can begin this program through participation in (OJT).  On the job training through Tradesman Place is an “earn to learn” workforce program that enables students to learn a career that may not be offered at the high school.  Students must work with the high school guidance counselor and the OJT coordinator at the high school to sign up for this program.  Students must be co-enrolled or have taken the DCT (Diversified Cooperative Training) course at the high school and received their OSHA 10-hr training certification.  Students must be able to provide their own transportation to the training site.  

Students can earn the following industry certifications:

FNGLA – Florida Nursery Growers and Landscape Association 

FNGLA001

FNGLA Certified Horticulture Professional

FNGLA003 

FNGLA Certified Landscape Maintenance Tech

FNGLA004 

FNGLA Certified Landscape Technician

Potential wages for landscaping workers:  https://www.onetonline.org/link/localwages/37-3011.00?st=FL

Potential wages for First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers:  

https://www.onetonline.org/link/localwages/37-1012.00?st=FL

Helpful Links 

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FNGLA

National Association of Landscape Professionals

Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers

First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers

This career will prepare students to begin working as a landscaping & groundskeeping worker specializing in tropical irrigation as an irrigation pipefitter.

With on-the-job training years beyond the first year, students will play a key role in learning to read blueprints, determination of materials needed and installation of pipes and water systems for landscaping purpose.   

Discover why apprenticeship is your pathway to success in tropical irrigation! Our program offers on-the-job training and classroom instruction, ensuring skills development and employment stability—91% of graduates retain jobs. 

Watch and learn how you can advance your career in irrigation!

Also, learn about the Tri-County Apprenticeship program. 

Learn more about employability from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Applicants interested in learning tropical irrigation will learn: 

• How to apply workspace safety and sanitation procedures
• Select, use, repair and maintain tools and equipment
• Explain the irrigation-horticulture relationship
• Identify and install irrigation system components.
• How to apply workplace safety and sanitation procedures
• Select, use, repair and maintain tools and equipment
• Analyze and interpret irrigation plans
• Locate and use Florida Building Code, local codes and water use regulations
• Monitor and troubleshoot irrigation system operation
• Clean and adjust irrigation system components
• Repair and replace irrigation system components
• Plan and implement job according to schedule
• Write and convey controller and/or system operation instructions to customer
• Apply industry best management practices
• Communicate effectively with customers, co-workers and supervisors
• Employer specific training

Pathways

Students who are interested could continue their education in one or more of the following ways:

FNGLA Apprenticeship

Tri-County Apprenticeship Academy – Sprinkler Fitter/Pipe Fitter

FSW – Business Development and Entrepreneurship (CCC) 

FSW - Business Administration and Management (AS Degree) 

*Many skills learned are transferable to other trades.  

Program Information and Certifications eligible to be earned:

Students can begin this program through participation in (OJT).  On the job training through Tradesman Place is an “earn to learn” workforce program that enables students to learn a career that may not be offered at the high school.  Students must work with the high school guidance counselor and the OJT coordinator at the high school to sign up for this program. 

Students must be co-enrolled or have taken the DCT (Diversified Cooperative Training) course at the high school and received their OSHA 10-hr training certification.  Students must be able to provide their own transportation to the training site.  

Students can earn the following industry certifications:

FSW-AP  - Florida Water Star Accredited Professional (Certification has two designations: landscape and irrigation.  Applicants can test for one or both)

Addiitonal certifications include: 

FNGLA – Florida Nursery Growers and Landscape Association 

FNGLA001 

FNGLA Certified Horticulture Professional

FNGLA003 

FNGLA Certified Landscape Maintenance Tech

FNGLA004 

FNGLA Certified Landscape Technician

Potential wages for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters:

https://www.onetonline.org/link/localwages/47-2152.00?st=FL

Helpful Links: 

FNGLA

National Association of Landscape Professionals

Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steam fitters 

Home Builders Institute

National Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry