HEA BACKGROUND
The Horticulture Ontario Secondary Teachers Association (HOSTA), and the Ontario Horticulture Educators Council (OHEC), made up of post-secondary teachers are two organizations that have been operating parallel but somewhat connected to Landscape Ontario for several years by strong leaders who share the industry’s passion for horticulture and developing the future workforce. It has been observed by both groups, that there has been a lack of connection within and between the two levels of education and training and the industry.
In 2010 and 2011, Landscape Ontario recognized the gaps and with the funding support of Employment Ontario, we embarked on a multi-phased project, with one of the outcomes, being the development of an HR Capacity Plan.
According to the Landscape Horticulture Human Resource Capacity Plan, written by Vicky Smith of by Contact Coaching in 2011, (See Appendix B), ‘The Landscape Horticulture Industry is poised for exponential growth and exciting possibilities for innovation in environmentally sustainable services and products. Capitalizing on these opportunities hinges significantly on the Industry’s ability to attract and retain creative, passionate and skilled employees. The Landscape Horticulture Industry is expected to double its size within the next decade as projected by Deloitte & Touche LLP in their report ‘The impact of ornamental horticulture on Canada’s economy’ published in 2009. (http://www.horttrades.com/economic-impact-of-the-canadas-green-industry)
Since this plan was written, Landscape Ontario has developed a Long term HR Committee chaired by Michael Pascoe of Fanshawe College that focusses on the awareness, development and connectivity of the Horticulture industry’s future workforce. Activities to date have included:
- Meetings with educators at both the secondary and post-secondary levels
- Connecting Educators Conference
- Cultivate and Connect Conference Event
- Skills Ontario workshop and competition support
- Review of LO resources that support long term Human Resource development
- Leadership on Agriculture Canada: Sector Career Awareness & Promotion Working Group
- Development of the new GreenCareersCanada website to be launched in 2016
In July of 2015, Landscape Ontario hosted a meeting with representatives from the Secondary and Post-Secondary programs, Ministry of Education and Skills Ontario. LO’s Executive Director facilitated a Strategic planning session that resulted in the leaders concluding that collectively we need to focus on:
- Awareness & Recognition,
- Curriculum,
- Connectivity,
- Engagement,
- and Expansion
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HEA LEADERSHIP
Current Board of Directors HEA
Adam Bonin | Michelle Chambers | Jake Kurtz | Alan Nason | Michael Pascoe |