To become a licensed landscaper, apprenticeship is necessary in many countries. An apprentice works with a licensed company for 2-4 years, gaining practical experience in design, management, and physical labor.
Working as a landscaper requires a diverse range of skills, from aesthetic knowledge to the ability to calculate complex mathematical equations to the ability to demand manual labor. Because these skills are best developed through hands-on practice, in many countries it is necessary to work as an apprentice landscaper before one can qualify as a fully licensed landscaper. In most cases, an apprentice landscape designer works closely with a licensed landscape company, honing their skills through real-world experience. In addition to receiving exposure to software planning, aesthetics, management and client relationships, he may also be required to attend to seemingly mundane aspects of landscaping work, such as digging and laying stones, to build a thorough understanding of the job.
Landscaping involves much more than just planting flowers and tending to shrubs. Rather, it is a highly artistic and architectural field that requires a refined aesthetic vision, an in-depth knowledge of plant life and soil types, the ability to process complex measurements and equations, and the capacity for often demanding physical work. Typically, a future landscaper begins to acquire these skills by completing a degree program in landscaping. In many countries, however, an undergraduate degree alone does not qualify an individual to work as a landscaper. Before he can be considered a professional landscaper he must obtain his license and to obtain this he must work for a period as an apprentice landscaper.
While the exact terms of a landscaping apprenticeship are usually dictated by region or country, in most cases, an apprentice landscaper is employed by a licensed landscaping company for a period of two to four years. During this time, he receives practical training in many of the areas he may only have tackled during his undergraduate studies. For example, he can learn to create designs using landscape design software. By spending time closely with an experienced landscaper, he also has the opportunity to observe employee management, client relations and bid creation tactics, as well as seeing a variety of projects progress from initial ideas to finished landscapes.
An apprentice landscape designer will likely spend as much time “in the field” as he does in the office. He may be required to participate in physically challenging landscaping tasks such as pulling out old growth and placing rocks. While this work can be difficult and may seem mundane, its completion allows the landscape apprentice to deepen their understanding of the field, appreciating every small step required by every large project.
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