Landscape Operations, Skills Competency Award (SCA)
The Environmental Horticulture Program teaches the basic skills and provides state-of-the-art information required to develop a strong foundation for a variety of career specialties within the landscaping, ornamental horticulture and the regenerative and restoration industry. The program encourages professional standards, a strong work ethic and environmentally sound management practices.
Horticulture industry professionals from throughout the community serve as members of the college’s Environmental Horticulture Advisory Committee. These “hands-on” professionals provide guidance, expertise and leadership in enhancing the program’s response to community and industry needs. They meet yearly with program staff members, college administrators and student representatives to review program goals and objectives. Course offerings and content have been determined through this participation and are geared to meet the needs of the landscape, ornamental horticulture and habitat management trades.
On the college’s East Campus, practical lab classes utilize two outdoor classroom gardens, the SBCC Lifescape and Chumash Point Ethnobotanical Preserve. The gardens are also the site of the nursery/ greenhouse unit. The Environmental Horticulture (EH) Program is designed to provide the student with the necessary skills at the apprentice level to begin work in a wide range of landscape trades. There are three vocational approaches within the Environmental Horticulture program: (1) the one-semester Skills Competency Award approach; (2) the Certificate of Achievement approach, where the certificate is awarded after the one-year (two-semester) format is successfully completed; and (3) the certificate can lead to any one of the four two-year A.S. Degree options in:
a. Landscape Contracting, C-27 License (satisfying one or more years of State requirements)
b. Environmental Landscape Design
c. Nursery & Greenhouse Technology
d. Ecological Restoration and Management
The program cannot guarantee job placement; however, many landscape industry employers, in search of energetic and skilled apprentices, contact the college to request referral of program graduates. The EH Program Skills Competency Award, EH Certificate and Certified Green Gardener, and Associate Degrees often provide expanding job opportunities.
Skills Competency Award Requirements
Complete all department requirements with a “C” or higher or "P" in each course. Candidates for a Skills Competency Award are required to complete at least 20% of the department requirements through SBCC.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Department Requirements | ||
| Spring: | ||
| EH 102 | Soils And Plant Nutrients | 3 |
| EH 105 | Landscape Construction | 3 |
| EH 106 | Greenhouse/Nursery Operations And Practices, Plant Propagation And Plant Recognition | 3 |
| EH 110 | Introduction to Horticulture | 3 |
| Optional | ||
| Work Experience In Environmental Horticulture | ||
| Total Units | 12.00 | |
- Demonstrate effective uses of soil amendments, mulches, soil activators, soil nutrients, and fertilizer products.
- Demonstrate proper management of water within the landscape, including water conservation and xeriscape principles.
- Demonstrate the ability to read plans, simple surveys, basic hardscape skills, and elevation maps.
- Identify a variety of indoor plants, bedding plants, turf and ground covers, and herbaceous ornamentals.
- Demonstrate how to propagate plants through vegetative and non-vegetative techniques.
- List and explain the factors required for a successful business enterprise.