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Interested in becoming a secondary employer?
Email apprenticeship@openlands.org with questions or to learn more about the ARA program.
Become a Secondary Employer
The Openlands Registered Apprenticeship Program (2021-IL-81294) is a 3-year, Department of Labor-approved program to provide an accessible career pathway for aspiring tree professionals of all backgrounds.
Openlands screens, interviews, and hires individuals interested in creating a career in the tree care industry and provides them with one year of on-the-job training and related instruction hours.
After completing Year 1 with Openlands, Apprentices are transferred to a Secondary Employer, where they will join a tree care team to continue to perform on-the-job training at client sites and refine their knowledge and skills with more advanced industry and employer-specific classroom training.
Throughout the program, Openlands acts as the program sponsor and will work with Apprentices and Secondary Employers to complete any necessary administrative or reporting needs.
At the completion of the program, the Apprentice will receive program certification from the Department of Labor and, in most cases, be eligible to sit for the ISA Arborist exam and, if desired from both the Secondary Employer and Apprentice, continue employment at the Secondary Employer’s organization.
Apprenticeship Information
Benefits of Hosting an Apprentice
Receive tax credits and financial training support
Cost savings
94% of individuals that complete apprenticeship programs remain employed
Hire a better employee
Apprentices will have one full year of hands-on and classroom training and other industry-specific credentials
Greater business opportunities
Increase your business’ audience, advertise your participation in the program and be more competitive in contracts/bids.
What Employers Can Expect
On-the-Job Training (OJT)- OJT hours are acquired through performing work or job tasks. Apprentices will need to demonstrate competencies in each of these categories to complete the program.
- Adhere to ANSI and employer safety standards for all work.
- Identify common trees and shrubs in the employer’s region
- Perform rigging on the ground and aloft
- Access trees safely
- Operate a chainsaw on the ground and aloft, and perform field maintenance
- Operate a chipper
- Prune trees and shrubs from the ground and aloft, according to ANSI A300
- Remove trees and shrubs
- Operate vehicles with or without a trailer
- Operate aerial lifts
- Operate stump grinder
- Participate in responses to storms and disasters
Related Instruction and Classroom Learning
Formal/informal classroom hours are gained through in-person learning, readings, and training opportunities.
Year 1
- Arborist Skills 1 & Openlands Certified TreeKeepers Course
- Tree and Shrub Identification
- Arborist Equipment Fundamentals
- Introduction to Climbing
- Arborist Skills 2
- First Aid/CPR certification
- Preparation for Commercial Learner’s Permit written test
- Preparation for State Pesticide Applicator Exam
- Teamwork and Leadership Development
Year 2 & 3
- Rigging and Tree Removal Fundamentals
- Applied Aerial Work
- Arborist Skills 3
- Advanced Rigging and Tree Felling with Field Skill Building
- Plant Health Care Treatments
- Transition to Leader
“This program has put me in a very good position to be an arborist and acquire new skills that will allow me to better branch out into arboriculture. I have learned so much about tree establishment and maintenance as well as more advanced topics like climbing and tree removal.”
-Lisa Mende, 2021 Cohort
Our Second Year Employer Partners
