Training and Educational Opportunities

Horticulture Schools,
Certification Training and Continuing Education

Members of Florida’s nursery and landscape industry are fortunate to have many facilities around the state that offer horticultural training, including universities, community colleges, technical education centers, UF Extension Offices, botanical gardens and on-line course providers.

Below is information on the various educational opportunities, including schools for traditional horticulture training, certification preparation and continuing education.

Florida’s educational system offers courses leading to landscape and nursery operations certificates and college degrees in horticulture production, landscape design, turf management, and other industry-related topics.  There are also many classes geared toward the working professional conveniently offered in the evenings and on weekends.

PDF List of educational facilities that offer horticulture training.

Training to assist in preparation for FNGLA’s certification exams is offered in various locations around the state.  Please contact them directly for registration information and class schedules.

PDF List of facilities that offer Certification and CEU training.

ON-LINE:  Online certification preparation courses, Green Industries Institute, 850-997-4088 www.greenindustries.org

Chipley:  Washington-Holmes Technical Center, Wayne Tharpe, 850-638-1180
Nursery Operations Course runs year round. Landscape Certification Training offered Fall 2007

Cocoa:  Brevard Comm. College, 321-433-7500 or email www.bcctraining.com, (Raleigh Berry, instructor) Courses are part of the Center for Industry Training and Economic Development

Ft. Myers: UF Lee County Extension, Stephen Brown, 239-461-7500 or email brownsh@leegov.com. Landscape Certification Review Sept. 13th.

Ft. Pierce:  Indian River Community College, Ann McMullian, 772-336-6211 or amcmulli@ircc.edu Classes offered January and August of each year.

Jacksonville: Florida Community College, Michael Collins, 904-633-8290. Next FCHP Class begins September 29th.

Lecanto:  UF Citrus County Extension Office, Debbe Hooper, 352-527-5700 ext. 5707

NEW CLASS
Miami (Kendall): Miami-Dade College, Ron Mossman, 305-237-2583 or email rmossman@mdc.edu. FCHP class begins Sept. 2007, FCLC & FCLD class begins Jan. 2008.

Milton:  Pensacola Junior College, Amy Compton, 850-484-4433

Naples:  Weeds & Seeds, weedsandseeds.com , Bob Cook, 239-466-9159 or email blorch@earthlink.net FCHP preparatory class begins Aug. 2007.

Ocala:  Central Florida Community College, Bob DuMond or Floyd McHenry, 352-237-2111 ext. 351

NEW CLASS
Orlando: Training Seminars for FNGLA Landscape Certification. Begins Fall 2007, Contact Don Cato at 407-830-7752 or 334-319-5506

Orlando: AmeriScapes Landscape Management, Ken Howell, 407-365-8339 or email kjhowell2@cs.com FCHP preparatory class begins August 2007.

Palm Beach Gardens:  Palm Beach Community College, 561-207-5052
FCHP Class and Professional Landscape Installation & Maintenance class (FCLT Prep) begins August 2007! George Rogers, email rogersg@pbcc.edu 
or go to http://www.pbcc.edu/horticulture/index.asp

Tampa/Seffner:  UF Hillsborough County Extension, Lisa Strange, 813-744-5519

St. Petersburg:  PTEC - St. Petersburg, Greg Charles, 727-893-2500, ext. 1101
FCHP Prep Class August 21st, email gcharles@ptec.pinellas.k12.fl.us

FNGLA’s Certified Professionals are required to earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs) in order to renew their certifications every three years.  Continuing education is designed to assure that FNGLA’s certified professionals are keeping up-to-date on the latest in industry trends, horticultural information and landscape practices. FNGLA’s CEU structure is designed so the certified professional must attend a minimum of three separate events in order to earn the required number of CEUs.  The options for obtaining CEUs are vast.

Online CEUs are available through the Green Industries Institute for Professional Development at http://www.greenindustries.org/pc_continuing.aspx

New CEU Opportunity! Ornamental Outlook & The University of Florida provide 1 CEU for reading and correctly answering a quiz from their monthly "CEU Series". See your issue of Ornamental Outlook or go to: www.ornamentaloutlook.com

College courses provide CEUs as well:
  PDF List of educational facilities

University of Florida Extension Services offer programming for the professional.  Find your local extension office at http://www.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/index.htm

Botanical gardens offer great programming for the homeowner and professional alike.  Find the nearest garden at http://www.aabga.org

Check out FNGLA’s calendar of events at http://www.fngla.org/calendar/calendar.asp

Check out the University of Florida’s calendar of industry events at http://calendar.ifas.ufl.edu/calendar/index.htm


For a printable list of some current educational events, Click Here.

Remember, the rule of thumb on CEUs is 1 CEU per hour of instruction, up to 4 per day. 

For more information about Continuing Education, see “ABOUT MY FNGLA CERTIFICATION”

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