DuPage Horticulture Apprenticeship Program
The DuPage Horticulture Apprenticeship Program combines college coursework, hands-on training and paid work experience with professional greenhouse and nursery growers across the United States and Canada.
Students earn an Associate in Applied Science degree in horticulture while gaining real-world experience through paid industry placements with partner greenhouse and nursery operations.
Based on the successful model and legacy of the original DuPage Horticultural School opened up by Ball Horticulture in West Chicago, IL from 1963-1988, this unique program combines classroom learning with practical work experience to prepare graduates for successful careers in horticulture.
Sixteen applicants will be selected in fall 2026 to begin the apprenticeship program in summer 2027. An additional 16 applicants will be selected in fall 2028 to begin the apprenticeship program in summer 2029. Applications are due on Thursday, Nov. 12. The DuPage Apprenticeship Program team will review applications and confirm eligibility. Selected students will participate in a Zoom interview as part of the admission process. Applicants will be notified of their acceptance in December.
Program Highlights
- Earn an Associate in Applied Science degree in horticulture.
- Earn certificates in horticulture and greenhouse management.
- Gain paid, hands-on industry experience.
- Receive housing during off-campus work experiences in spring semester.
- Work with professional greenhouse and nursery growers.
- Build valuable industry connections and professional networks.
- Graduate with practical experience employers value.
What You Can Do With a Horticulture Degree
Horticulture offers a wide range of career opportunities in plant production, greenhouse and nursery operations, landscape management and horticultural business.
Career opportunities may include:
- Greenhouse grower
- Assistant grower
- Nursery or plant production manager
- Greenhouse technician
- Horticulture technician
- Greenhouse or nursery manager
- Garden center manager
- Horticultural retail manager
- Landscape or grounds manager
- Plant production specialist
- Horticultural sales representative
- Botanical garden operations professional
One of the program's primary career pathways is greenhouse and nursery production, where growers oversee plant health, production quality and crop schedules from propagation through finished product.
How the Program Works
The DuPage Horticulture Apprenticeship Program combines classroom instruction, hands-on learning and paid industry experience over two years.
Year One
- Build your foundation: Begin coursework at College of DuPage and develop essential knowledge in plant science, greenhouse operations, plant production and horticultural practices in summer and fall semester.
- Gain industry experience: During the spring semester, work with a partner grower while earning wages, college credit and valuable professional experience. Grower provides students housing during the spring semester on-site.
Year Two
- Expand your expertise: Continue advanced horticulture coursework at College of DuPage and strengthen your technical and professional skills in summer and fall semester.
- Experience a second grower placement: Complete a second spring semester work experience with a different participating grower to broaden your industry exposure. Grower provides students housing during the spring semester on-site.
- Graduate career-ready: Complete the program with an associate degree, industry certificates and meaningful professional experience.
Five Steps to Success
- Complete coursework at College of DuPage.
- Interview and connect with participating growers.
- Earn wages and college credit through industry placements.
- Gain experience with multiple horticultural operations.
- Graduate prepared for a career in the horticulture industry.
Earn While You Learn
During each year of the program, students spend a spring semester working directly for a participating grower.
Students will:
- Earn wages while gaining experience.
- Receive college credit for work experiences.
- Work alongside industry professionals.
- Build professional relationships and networks.
- Develop practical horticulture skills.
- Experience different types of horticultural operations.
- Be provided on-site housing by the grower.
Expected Wages
Participating growers determine compensation rates.
Estimated wages include:
- First-year apprentices: $16 to $20 per hour
- Second-year apprentices: $18 to $22 per hour
Housing is provided by participating growers during work experiences.
Participating Growers
Students have the opportunity to work with professional greenhouse and nursery operations throughout the United States and Canada.
Each grower offers unique experiences and exposure to different aspects of horticultural production, including:
- Greenhouse crops
- Nursery production
- Plant propagation
- Specialty crops
- Vegetable production
- Production planning and operations
Students are matched with participating growers based on their interests, career goals, experience and available opportunities.
Grower Profiles
13 Archie Street, Auburn, New York 13021
About Dickman Farms
Dickman Farms is a fifth-generation, family-owned business located in Owasco, New York. Our legacy in agriculture dates back to 1903, when we began as a commercial truck farm. Since then, our business has evolved through various ventures—from field crops and indoor vegetable production to even operating a nightclub from the 1930s through the mid-1960s.Today, we specialize in the efficient production of high-quality plants across more than 18 acres of modern greenhouse space. We employ over 100 dedicated team members and proudly ship young plant material to all 50 states.Our extensive plant catalog includes more than 1,500 varieties, with a primary focus on annuals. We supply wholesale plants to over 80 garden centers throughout the region and are a trusted supplier to Wegmans grocery stores.Our on-site retail garden center offers customers a naturally beautiful shopping experience within a spacious, enclosed environment. Whether you're a home gardener, landscaper, or retailer, we take pride in providing vibrant, healthy plants and exceptional customer service.
51051 US Highway 20, Oberlin, OH 44074
About Green Circle Growers
Green Circle Growers was founded in 1968 by John van Wingerden. With just a few acres, Green Circle Growers
began selling to other companies like variety stores, lumber yards, hardware stores,
and grocery stores. Today, Green Circle Growers is still owned and operated by the
van Wingerden family and has grown to over 150 acres of indoor growing space. Our
state-of-the-art greenhouses offer many different environments to keep up with the
demanding mix of products that today’s market expects. We now provide plants to regional
and national stores across the United States and Canada. We are able to market and
offer broad products to mass merchants, as well as to growers. The retail market expects
the full line of annuals in flats, containers, and baskets. The grower line produces
pre-finished containers, plugs, and liners.
1780 4 Mile Rd. NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49544
About Neal Mast Greenhouse
Neal Mast Greenhouses stands as one of the nation’s largest and most respected growers of premier indoor
and outdoor potted plants. Our reputation is built on a simple promise: providing
floral-quality products that perform consistently for our customers. From vibrant
holiday displays to seasonal promotional events, we have earned the confidence of
retailers by delivering programs that sell better, turn faster, and drive higher profits.
Our operation is a powerhouse of year-round production. We ship finished products—including
pre-finished spring bulbs, flowering indoor plants, and fall cool crops—for over 46
weeks of the year. Beyond our finished goods, our Young Plants division remains active
every single week of the year, providing high-quality liners and seedlings to growers
across the industry. Whether we are trialing a new variety or shipping a massive holiday
promotion, our focus remains on the end consumer, ensuring every plant we grow thrives
from the retail shelf to the home garden.
45W464 Ramm Road, Maple Park, IL 60151
About Ron Clensen’s Ornamental Plants
Since 1973, RCOP has grown from a modest 3,000 square foot operation into a premier, 25-acre wholesale
production facility featuring over 110,000 square feet of covered greenhouses and
nine acres of outdoor growing space. Family-owned and operated, RCOP produces elite
ornamental crops for top-tier independent garden centers, landscapers, and iconic
institutions like Navy Pier, the Art Institute of Chicago and Lincoln Park Zoo. Our
mission is built on quality, consistency, communication, and superior service. Our
goal is to establish strong mutually beneficial relationships with a family-style
approach.It is our commitment to these relationships; together with our experience
and knowledge, that makes RCOP unique as we strive together to create a culture for
all of us to grow and achieve success.
Program Eligibility
Applicants must:
- Be at least 18 years old at the start of the program.
- Hold a high school diploma or GED.
- Be authorized to work in the United States or Canada.
- Have career interests in the horticulture industry.
- Apply to both College of DuPage and the DuPage Horticulture Apprenticeship Program.
No previous professional horticulture experience is required.
Get Started Today and Launch Your Career in Horticulture
If you enjoy hands-on learning, are interested in plant science and want to build a career in horticulture, the DuPage Horticulture Apprenticeship Program can help you take the next step.
- Step 1: Apply for Admission to College of DuPage
- Step 2: Apply for the DuPage Horticulture Apprenticeship Program
Note: Applicants must sign in with their COD Student account(@dupage.edu) in order to complete the apprenticeship program application.
Department Chair / Assistant Professor, Horticulture
Contact Information
Brian Clement
Program Disclaimer
The DuPage Horticulture Apprenticeship Program is a college-based education and work experience program and is not a Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) registered or recognized by the U.S. Department
Take the Next Step
Whether you’re exploring, applying or planning your path, COD makes it easy to get started.
© College of DuPage