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Arborist Apprenticeship

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School of Applied Technology

Program Availability
Type:
Apprenticeship
Certificate
Campus: North
Program Code:
Apprenticeship
Length:

Twenty-four-week, in-school session

Basic – twelve-week session
Advanced – twelve-week session

Both sessions begin in January.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
humber.ca/appliedtechnology | 416.675.6622 ext. 4392 | apprenticeship@humber.ca
  • Our Program

    This Arborist Apprenticeship program consists of a twelve-week basic session and a twelve-week advanced session, both starting in January. The program focuses on the planting, maintenance, and removal of trees in urban surroundings. Emphasis is placed on safety, teamwork and the development of sound, up-to-date job skills, and workplace practices. Lectures and labs are balanced with a major practical fieldwork component.

    Your Career

    Your Career

    While all trees absorb carbon dioxide – one of the gases linked to global warming – urban trees provide greater benefits than rural trees. By providing shade that reduces the need for air conditioning in summer, and by serving as a windbreak that reduces heating needs in winter, properly located and managed trees reduce the demand for carbon-emitting fossil energy in the first place. Overall, researchers estimate that an urban tree can save five to 10 times more carbon than a rural tree. Help make the most of these important environmental assets with exciting opportunities in the utility, municipal, and commercial tree care sectors. Entry-level positions usually require strong climbing skills. After that, how high you climb is based on your skills and strengths, and the specific needs of the employer.

    Our Facilities

    Our Facilities

    Humber College has some of the best facilities for delivery of this type of education. The Humber Arboretum is a 250 acre botanical garden the surrounds the campus and includes ornamental gardens, woodland gardens, wildlife gardens, and ecologically diverse environments centered on the west branch of the Humber River. The Arboretum serves as a unique “living classroom" for plant studies, construction, arboricultural and horticultural skills. Our new construction lab is housed in a weather protected 8000 square foot facility which allows full scale structures such as decks, gazebos, retaining walls and water features. We also have excellent computer labs for teaching our CAD (computer aided design and drafting) courses.

  • Professional Accreditation

    Successful graduates receive a Certificate of Apprenticeship.

  • Admission Requirement
    • Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent, or mature student status
    • Grade 12 English (C) or (U)
    • Grade 12 Mathematics (C) is recommended
    • Applicant must be working in the arborist/tree care industry
    • Note: This apprenticeship is regulated by the Apprenticeship and Certification Act.
    • Applicants are required to register through their local Apprenticeship Branch Office of the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU).

    Note: This apprenticeship is regulated by the Apprenticeship and Certification Act.
    Applicants are required to register through their local Apprenticeship Branch Office of the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU).

    Additional Requirements

    Apprentices must understand/accept the following:

    • field practice sessions are two days a week, even under bad weather conditions
    • at least 50 per cent of field time involves tree climbing to heights of 60 feet or more
    • attendance at all classes is mandatory; unau­thorized absences may result in expulsion from the program and/or cancellation of apprenticeship
    • apprentices must dress appropriately for scheduled activities and prevailing weather conditions
    • on a scheduled rotating basis, students are responsible for supervision of field practice sessions and transportation of tools and equipment to job sites.

    Note: All students entering this program must have received a tetanus injection or booster shot within the last 10 years.

  • Alternative Course of Study

    Humber also offers the Urban Arboriculture Certificate program 01991, which provides the same training as the Arborist Apprenticeship program, but does not require that the student be employed in the tree care industry prior to joining the program.

  • Fees

    The 2012/2013 fee for this program is

    - Basic $650

    - Advanced $650.

    For more information visit Fees and Financial Assistance.

    Fees are subject to change.

    Additional Costs
    Additional Costs

    Apprentices must arrange and pay for their own transportation to field practice sessions at job sites throughout the GTA (most are off campus). Apprentices must buy the following personal protective equipment: CSA-approved Type 2 Class E hard hat preferred; work-rated Green Patch safety boots; safety goggles/glasses; hearing protection; chain saw gloves and chain saw pants. All of the above-mentioned equipment must be worn on the second day of classes.

Curriculum

  • Basic (30 hours/week over 12 weeks)

    Course CodeCourseCredits
    ACAP 130Arborist Practices 1

    Arborist Practices 1

    Course Code: ACAP 130
    Credits: 10
    This is a highly practical course covering the use of arboricultural safety equipment along with powered and manual tools and equipment. The course demonstrates how to plan work safely and utilize safe work practices while ascending and descending trees, pruning and removing trees including performing an aerial rescue. Promotion of safe worksite operations is used while pruning, removing and disposing of material produced from the skills developed in the onsite laboratory classes.
    		10
    ACAP 131Arborist Workplace Health and Safety 1

    Arborist Workplace Health and Safety 1

    Course Code: ACAP 131
    Credits: 3
    This course examines pertinent safety and related legislation that apply to safe workplace practices for arboricultural operations. Potentially dangerous onsite conditions, emergencies, hazards and materials handling are also covered.
    		3
    ACAP 132Arboricultural Science 1

    Arboricultural Science 1

    Course Code: ACAP 132
    Credits: 2
    This course will demonstrate how to identify various woody plants, growth factors of woody plants, compartmentalization of woody plants, diseases and disorders of trees that could be harmful to the integrity of the electrical system, evaluate the condition of anchor points in trees used for fall protection, evaluation of work operations within environmentally sensitive areas.
    		2
    ACAP 133Arborist Hand Tools

    Arborist Hand Tools

    Course Code: ACAP 133
    Credits: 3
    This course concentrates on the care and use of gas powered chainsaws and a variety of tools and selected equipment commonly used in the utility arborist trade, including reading and understanding manufacturer's operator manual, identifying and inspection of all safety components, daily and routine maintenance, minor repairs, adjustments and performing operation testing.
    		3
    ACAP 134Arborist Theory 1

    Arborist Theory 1

    Course Code: ACAP 134
    Credits: 3
    This theory course covers the planning component for arboricultural operations. It is closely aligned with ACAP 130 and TREE 130 Arboricultural Practices 1. Areas studied include job process components, legal and governmental requirements, potential job site hazards, subject tree location, pruning theory and methods of disposing of extraneous materials produced on the job site.
    		3
    ACAP 135Arborist Tree Identification 1

    Arborist Tree Identification 1

    Course Code: ACAP 135
    Credits: 2
    This course requires the student to be able to identify 60 woody plants commonly found in Ontario, according to species and morphological characteristics, using the international system of plant nomenclature.
    		2
    ACAP 136Arboriculture Calculations

    Arboriculture Calculations

    Course Code: ACAP 136
    Credits: 1
    This is a basic mathematics course covering the calculation of one, two and three-dimensional quantities typically necessary in the industry. Calculations of momentum and mechanical advantage are also presented.
    		1
    ACAP 137Arborist Equipment

    Arborist Equipment

    Course Code: ACAP 137
    Credits: 1
    Students will develop a thorough working knowledge including but not limited to the safe operation and maintenance of brush chippers.
    		1

    Advanced (30 hours/week over 12 weeks)

    Course CodeCourseCredits
    ACAP 330Arborist Theory 2

    Arborist Theory 2

    Course Code: ACAP 330
    Credits: 3
    This course is a continuation of ACAP 134/TREE 134 Arborist Theory 1. It consists of further study of safe arboricultural site practices; determination of tree wound/defect correction methods; and woody plant transplanting and installation. Also, the use and care of fertilizing, spraying and pneumatic arboricultural equipment is covered.
    		3
    ACAP 331Arborist Tree Identification 2

    Arborist Tree Identification 2

    Course Code: ACAP 331
    Credits: 2
    This course is a continuation of ACAP 135/TREE 135 Tree Identification 1. The identification of an additional 100 plants commonly found in Ontario, according to species and morphological characteristics using the international system of plant nomenclature, is presented.
    		2
    ACAP 332Arboriculture Science 2

    Arboriculture Science 2

    Course Code: ACAP 332
    Credits: 2
    This course is a continuation of ACAP 135/TREE 135 Tree Identification 1. The identification of an additional 100 plants commonly found in Ontario, according to species and morphological characteristics using the international system of plant nomenclature, is presented.
    		2
    ACAP 333Arborist Plant Care - Pest Management

    Arborist Plant Care - Pest Management

    Course Code: ACAP 333
    Credits: 3
    Students will learn to diagnose and gather information on problems that affect woody plants, including biotic diseases and non-infectious agents. An integrated pest management approach, which includes cultural, physical and biological control measures, will be emphasized.
    		3
    ACAP 338Arborist Practices 2

    Arborist Practices 2

    Course Code: ACAP 338
    Credits: 10
    This course is a continuation of ACAP 130/TREE 130, Arborist Practices 1, and involves further hands-on study of arboricultural practices including ascending to, and descending from work positions in trees; and safely completing standard tree removal techniques. Safety and the use of manual and powered tools, including chainsaws are stressed. Instruction is carried out in a work-site operations format.
    		10
    ACAP 339Arborist Crane-Assisted Rigging

    Arborist Crane-Assisted Rigging

    Course Code: ACAP 339
    Credits: 2
    This course is designed to provide knowledge of crane-assisted safe worksite rigging operations including calculating load weights and distribution, determining balance point, assessing and determining choker locations, ascending to and descending from work points and performing tree and limb removal with rigging devices.
    		2
    ACAP 340Equipment 2

    Equipment 2

    Course Code: ACAP 340
    Credits: 3
    This course is designed to provide knowledge of crane-assisted safe worksite rigging operations including calculating load weights and distribution, determining balance point, assessing and determining choker locations, ascending to and descending from work points and performing tree and limb removal with rigging devices.
    		3
    ACAP341Arborist Calculations

    Arborist Calculations

    Course Code: ACAP341
    Credits: 1
    This course is designed to provide knowledge of crane-assisted safe worksite rigging operations including calculating load weights and distribution, determining balance point, assessing and determining choker locations, ascending to and descending from work points and performing tree and limb removal with rigging devices.
    		1

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