Grow Your Career With GRCC’s Landscaping Apprenticeship
Turn your interest in working outdoors into a career through Grand Rapids Community College’s Landscaping Apprenticeship Program. This earn-while-you-learn program combines paid, on-the-job training with an employer along with landscaping-specific classroom instruction from GRCC. Apprentices develop the technical, safety and professional skills employers are looking for while gaining real-world experience alongside landscaping professionals. Through a combination of hands-on and paid employment, industry-recognized training and wrap-around support services, apprentices can build a foundation for long-term careers in landscaping, grounds maintenance and green infrastructure.
Why Choose the Landscaping Apprenticeship?
- Earn while you learn. Work in a paid position while building skills through structured on-the-job training.
- Learn skills you can use immediately. Classroom training is intentionally designed around the actual work apprentices encounter on the job.
- Earn industry-recognized credentials. Training includes the OSHA-10 certification, the West Michigan Green Infrastructure Certification and the Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeship nationally-recognized certificate.
- Learn from industry professionals. Build your skills alongside experienced landscaping professionals through structured training.
- Build a career pathway. Gain experience that can lead to increased responsibilities, higher wages and long-term employment within the landscaping industry.
Community and Workforce Partners
Employer Partner - Rockwell Earthworks
Apprentices are employed by Rockwell Earthworks and receive structured on-the-job training while completing their classroom education at GRCC.
Community Partners - West Michigan Works, Downtown Grand Rapids Inc., Grand River Workforce Collaborative, Grand River Youth Workforce Collaborative
This program has been developed with support and collaboration from community and workforce partners, ensuring you have access to holistic support resources throughout your journey.
What You’ll Learn
Landscaping requires much more than knowing how to plant or maintain a lawn. Apprentices develop technical skills related to construction, irrigation, environmental science and sustainability, heavy equipment, safety and landscape installation.
Training Topics
- Blueprint reading for landscaping
- OSHA-10 Safety training
- West Michigan Green Infrastructure training
- Tree trimming and pruning
- Irrigation
- Landscape installation and maintenance
- Plant and tree care
- Hand and power tool safety
- Workplace safety
- Customer service
- Employability skills
- Teamwork and communication
- Problem-solving
Credentials Offered
- OSHA-10
- West Michigan Green Infrastructure Certification
- Neighborhood Forester Certification (Friends of Grand Rapids Parks)
- Landscaping Certificate of Completion
- U.S. Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeship Certificate
Potential Career Opportunities
The skills developed through the landscaping apprenticeship can prepare students for careers such as:
- Landscape technician
- Landscape installation technician
- Grounds maintenance technician
- Landscape crew leader
- Irrigation technician
- Hardscape installer
- Property maintenance technician
With additional education and experience, apprentices may also advance into crew leadership, project supervision, estimating, design or other management positions within the landscaping industry.
Success Stories
- GRCC Landscaping Apprenticeship Graduation
- GRCC and Community Partners Create New Model for Apprenticeship Success
Frequently Asked Questions
Interested in learning more about this program? Read our frequently asked questions.
What is the Landscaping Apprenticeship Program?
The Landscaping Apprenticeship program is a USDOL registered learn-and-earn training program through Grand Rapids Community College and Rockwell Earthworks. Participants work as paid apprentices while completing landscaping-specific classroom instruction through GRCC. The program combines structured on-the-job learning, classroom education, industry credentials and wraparound support services to prepare participants for long-term careers in the landscaping industry.
Who is the program designed for?
The program is designed for individuals who are interested in building a career in landscaping and enjoy hands-on, outdoor work.
Applicants should be willing to learn, work as part of a team, and actively participate in both classroom and on-the-job training. No previous landscaping experience is required.
What are the eligibility requirements?
Applicants must:
- Be at least 18 years of age.
- Have a high school diploma or GED.
- Meet employment requirements set by Rockwell Earthworks.
- Be able to participate in both employment and classroom training.
- Be interested in pursuing a career in landscaping.
How long does the apprenticeship take?
The Landscaping Apprenticeship is designed to be a two-year program. During that time, apprentices are completing both classroom instruction and paid training through the employer.
How do I apply?
Unlike a traditional semester-based college program, apprenticeships first begin with employment.
Interested applicants should send a resume and cover letter to haleykozal@grcc.edu. The program manager will then connect you with Rockwell Earthworks to determine if you meet the hiring criteria.
Do I need to be employed prior to starting the apprenticeship?
Yes. Apprenticeship programs combine employment and education, so participants must be hired into an eligible apprenticeship position through Rockwell Earthworks before beginning the full program.
Interested applicants should send a resume and cover letter to haleykozal@grcc.edu. The program manager will then connect you with Rockwell Earthworks to determine if you meet the hiring criteria.
Am I guaranteed a job if I apply?
No. Apprenticeship positions are competitive employment opportunities. Applicants must complete the employer’s hiring and selection process before entering the apprenticeship.
What does the apprenticeship involve?
The apprenticeship program has two main components.
On-the-job training: Apprentices work alongside experienced landscaping professionals and gradually develop skills through real-world projects.
Classroom instruction: Apprentices complete related technical instruction through GRCC. Classes reinforce what participants learn at work and introduce additional technical, safety and professional skills.
Where does training take place?
On-the-job training will take place at employer worksites throughout West Michigan. Worksites are dependent upon employer projects.
Classroom instruction is primarily offered through GRCC’s Leslie E. Tassel MTEC and may also include training and other partner or project locations in West Michigan depending on the course
What makes the classroom training different from traditional classes?
Courses are customized to fit the needs of the landscaping industry. For example, blueprint reading for landscaping focuses on landscape plans and specifications rather than providing only a general introduction to construction blueprints.
This approach helps apprentices immediately connect classroom concepts to the work they perform on the job.
What certifications or credentials will I own?
Training will include:
- OSHA-10 (nationally and industry recognized)
- West Michigan Green Infrastructure Certification (industry and locally recognized)
- Neighborhood Forester - Tree Trimming and Pruning (industry and locally recognized)
- Landscaping Certificate of Completion (industry recognized)
- Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeship Credential (nationally and industry recognized)
Will I get paid?
Yes, landscaping apprentices are employees and are paid for their on-the-job work. Hourly wages start at $17/hour with the opportunity to progress up to $24/hour as additional skills and competencies are learned during the apprenticeship program.
Are support services available?
GRCC and its community partners work with apprentices to help address barriers that could make enrolling and completing the program difficult.
Depending on eligibility and available resources, support may include:
- Career and academic coaching
- Regular program check-ins
- Resource referrals
- Bus passes or other transportation assistance
- Connections to community resources
- Workforce development services
- Employment and career development support
What happens after I complete the program?
Graduates leave the program with a combination of work experience, technical education and industry-recognized training that can support continued employment and advancement within the landscaping field.
Because apprentices spend two years learning on the job, graduates enter the next stage of their careers with significantly more real-world experience than someone beginning with classroom training alone.
At the end of the program, you will have the option to stay on with your current employer or seek alternative employment opportunities.
Can this apprenticeship lead to career advancement?
Yes, landscaping offers several career pathways beyond entry-level field positions. With additional experience, employees can progress into areas such as:
- Crew leadership
- Project supervision
- Landscaping construction
- Irrigation
- Estimating
- Design
- Operations and management
- Owner
The goal of the apprenticeship is not simply to prepare someone for their first landscaping job, but rather to give apprentices the skills, experience and industry knowledge they need to build a career.