KPU flashback
While searching for my seminar room this morning at the Kwantlen Polytechnic University in Langley, British Columbia, I walked by the room where I sat my Red Seal journeyman exam. It brought really happy memories because I passed the exam back in 2014; and it literally changed my work life.
Becoming Red Seal certified means that you have education and experience. You need at least three years of work experience to take the exam. I needed something like 3,500 hours and I had double that. Easy. But the exam was tough.
I still remember opening my ITA e-mail. I knew it contained my exam scores and I opened after 9pm with my little kids soundly asleep. It was 50-50, yes or no, pass or fail. And the entire City of Coquitlam parks department would know the result.
I passed the exam but I didn’t smash it, like some people I know. I also couldn’t celebrate because my kids were sleeping. Celebrations would have to wait.
The real deal
Now, let’s be honest, private sector landscape company owners look good when they hire Red Seal journeymen; but don’t expect them to pay you millions. In the public sector, municipalities now demand journeyman papers just to apply for temporary parks positions.
Still, you should get paid better than the average landscaper on staff because you’re bringing in experience, knowledge, skills, and it’s almost guaranteed that you will make fewer mistakes. Whoever hires you wins. And if you’re lucky, you will win some respect from your co-workers.
More fun
Journeymen have more fun, too. For example, I get to train junior staff, which is rewarding when you see them improve. I also get to do more technical pruning like rhododendron reduction. Those are tasks you can’t off-load on junior staff.
Then there are small things like bosses taking you along for meetings where technical questions could come up. Also, I’m often sent to newly acquired sites so the foreman can get acquainted with the plants on his new site. This often happens when big sites come online. One such site was populated by many Japanese cedars (Cryptomaria japonica) so it was important to identify them.
Conclusion
If you have experience, definitely get Red Seal certified because it validates your skills and experience. Do it for yourself first because putting in many years in the field takes hard work. Second, do it for your income and work life. Journeymen make more money, just make sure you don’t settle for peanuts. Broker your Red Seal status into a good deal with benefits and perks.
And never stop learning!
