Landscape Technologist Apprentice

Job Summary

UBC Facilities provides comprehensive facilities maintenance, operations and renovation services for lands and buildings owned by the University of British Columbia. The Municipal Services group is responsible for providing waste management services, soft and hard landscape services, as well as moving and general labour services for all of the Vancouver campus.

Under the supervision of a Landscape Technologist the Landscape Technologist Apprentice is responsible for the maintenance of all hard/soft outdoor surfaces for the University of British Columbia Point Grey Campus. The Landscape Technologist Apprentice performs horticultural tasks as well as skilled soft/hard landscape practices such as design, construction, pruning, nursery work, propagation, pesticide and chemical application, asphalt and concrete repair. The apprenticeship will take approximately 4 years to complete and will require a combination of at-home learning, distance education, online, in-school and at-work learning.

Organizational Status
The Landscape Technologist Apprentice reports to the Manager, Municipal Services and receives daily work assignments and directions from the Sub-head Landscape Technologist or Head Lanadscape Technologist. The successful applicant will work in a team comprised of Landscape Technologists, Apprentices and Labourers.

Work Performed
- Performs routine maintenance in all types of horticultural situations or in a specific field of expertise, such as, irrigation, playing field maintenance, landscape construction, tree maintenance.

- Performs most or all specialized grounds keeping tasks, such as, design, soft/hard landscape construction, on a small or large scale, pruning of trees and shrubs, propagation of plant material, pesticide and chemical applications, turf installations, asphalt and concrete paver installation and maintenance and the maintenance of accession records and inventories.

- Assigns work to labourers, and supervises the quality of their work.

- Participates in the training of labourers.

- Evaluates planting beds, trees, lawns, specialty plantings and soil conditions to determine plant health, soil fertility and the general condition of the campus landscape; reports findings to supervisory staff and makes a joint determination of the correct course of action for proper care; initiates input into the plant accession system to endure the correct identification and labeling of plants in the gardens' plant collections.

- May be responsible for special collections areas, such as, the Rose Garden or specialized landscapes such as the C.K. Choi Building, the Asian Centre, or the athletic fields.

- Operates standard power equipment, such as, walk behind mowers, line trimmers, blowers, hedge trimmers, lawn-edgers to perform soft/hard landscape activities; carries out routine minor maintenance on small equipment and reports faulty equipment to the appropriate staff.

- May be required to drive a truck and use specialty equipment, such as, large chain saws, power-spraying equipment, riding mowers, tractors, bobcat, high lift, tree climbing equipment, asphalt roller and other equipment needed for specialized tasks. .

- May design, install and maintain landscape drainage, sprinkling and irrigation systems excluding piping from the main water line to the backflow prevention device; maintains irrigation

- Acquires materials and equipment as required for the job in coordination with Assistant Head and Head and with Stores or the Tool Crib.

- Works in the Nursery in areas of maintenance, propagation, pruning and spraying and assists in maintaining inventories.

- Keeps written records of fertilizer and pesticide use as necessary for documentation for the government, department and the University and for future reference.

- Communicates to the clients about work intentions and considers client needs in order to establish a good working environment and to provide knowledge wherever possible.

- Works in a correct and safe manner and follows established policies and procedures.

- Performs work, such as, power line vegetation management program, in coordination with other trades.

- Acts upon trouble calls as directed by supervisory staff.

- Carries out any other related duties as required in keeping with the qualifications and requirements of positions in this classification.

Consequence of Error/Judgement
Determines the sequence of work, safe work methods and equipment to be employed and how best to complete the work based on technical knowledge of the work and related departmental guidelines and policies; inappropriate decisions may result in minor service delays and/or costs.

Supervision Received
Reports to the Manager, Municipal Services. Works under general supervision from the Head Landscape Technologist and from written or oral instructions, blue prints, drawings and work orders.

Supervision Given

Assigns and monitors the work of labourers and apprentices as the need arises.

Minimum Qualifications
- Valid Class 5 BC Drivers License.

- BC Pesticide Applicator's Certificate (required at completion of apprenticeship)

- Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own

- Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

- Must be flexible in their work and demonstrate an ability to adapt to new departmental processes and procedures

Preferred Qualifications

Ability to communicate in a clear, attentive, and polite manner. Ability to make thoughtful, informed, and thorough decisions. Excellent customer service skills with the ability to effectively resolve client complaints in a calm, non-confrontational manner, and by exercising sound judgment. Ability to work in a team environment and develop and maintain cooperative and productive working relationships with supervisors and peers. Previous related work experience and supervisory experience is considered an asset.