Arboriculture - Apprenticeship
There's still time to apply for January 2025 programs. Search all January programs.
Apply for September 2025 and get your chance to win $5,000 toward tuition* See details.
Program Overview
Humber’s Arborist Apprenticeship program consists of a twelve-week Level 1 session and a twelve-week Level 2 session focusing on urban forestry maintenance which includes health and hazard assessment, planting, pruning and removal of trees in urban settings. We emphasize 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.
Apprenticeships are not available to international applicants.
The Humber Advantage
Humber offers unique facilities with The Humber Arboretum, a 250 acre botanical garden that surrounds the campus and includes ornamental gardens, woodland gardens, wildlife gardens, and ecologically diverse environments. It provides a unique “living classroom" for plant studies, construction, arboricultural and horticultural skills. Our new construction lab is housed in a weather protected 8,000 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.
Humber Also Offers
Urban Arboriculture – Tree Care certificate program, which provides the same training as the Arborist Apprenticeship program, but does not require the student to be employed in the tree-care industry prior to joining the program.
Faculty Highlight
Bob Smith, faculty member in Humber's Arborist Apprenticeship program has won another award from the Ontario Parks Association.
Your Career
By absorbing carbon dioxide, urban trees provide environmental benefits. By providing shade that reduces the need for air conditioning in summer, and by serving as windbreaks that reduce heating needs in winter, properly located and managed trees reduce the demand for carbon-emitting fossil fuels. Overall, researchers estimate that an urban tree processes 5 to 10 times more carbon than a rural tree. You can help make the most of these important environmental assets and find exciting job opportunities in the utility, municipal and commercial tree-care sectors.
Entry level positions usually require strong climbing skills – and after that, how high you climb is based on your skills, strengths and the specific needs of your employer.
Professional Accreditations & Recognition
Ontario Certificate of Qualification Trade Exam
Apprentices completing the required in-school training are issued a Certificate of Apprenticeship and Ontario College Certificate from Humber College. Upon successful completion of in-school and on-the-job training, apprentices may write the Ontario Certificate of Qualification trade exam.
Additional requirements may apply.
Note: The requirements for the additional credential(s) are determined by the granting body, which is independent from the College. Students are encouraged to obtain the specific requirements directly from the granting body before enrolling.
Related Programs
Program Availability
| INTAKE DATE | LOCATION |
|---|---|
| Jan 2025 | North |
Upcoming Recruitment Events
Arborist Apprenticeship Program Video
Watch the video to learn more about the Arborist Apprenticeship program from Humber faculty.
Every attempt is made to ensure that information contained on this website is current and accurate. Humber Polytechnic reserves the right to correct any error or omission, modify or cancel any course, program, fee, timetable or campus location at any time without prior notice or liability to users or any other Person.
