3410 Apprentice Gardener 

(Permanent Civil Service test - also must enroll and complete City College's Horticulture program along with 3,000 hours of training)

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

1.   ***Meet admission and eligibility requirements for enrollment at City College of San Francisco as follows:

a.)  You must be eighteen (18) years old on or before the first day of instruction for the term which you are applying. or
b.) You are a high school graduate; or
c.)  You are the equivalent of a high school graduate, i.e., you have passed GED or a state's high school proficiency examination;

Please visit the link for City College of San Francisco's admission policy:  https://www.ccsf.edu/en/student-services/admissions-and-registration/admissions/admission-policy.html;

AND

2.    Possession of a valid California (Class C) driver's license (Copy of a driver's license must be submitted with application)

***NOTE:  If selected for this program, participants will be registered with City College of San Francisco and enrolled in OH 50 Introduction to Environmental Horticulture. 

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

The stated desirable qualifications may be used to identify job finalists at the end of the selection process when candidates are referred for hiring.
§  Six (6) months (1,040 hours) of verifiable experience in the care and maintenance of landscaped general ground areas or as a journey level tradesperson in construction or industrial field;
§ A good driving record (An applicant will be considered a negligent driver and he/she may be disqualified if the driving record shows:  6 or more violation points in the last 12 months; 8 or more violation points in the last 24 months; or 10 or more violation points in the last 36 months.  The months will be calculated from the date the report was requested.)
§  Verifiable experience in a physically-demanding position (e.g., gardening assistant, laborer, etc.);
§  Ability to safely and correctly lift, drag and/or move with assistance large and/or heavy plants and equipment to truck bed level, and the ability to kneel, bend and squat for considerable periods of time. (The probationary period will be used to evaluate this qualification.);
§  New or continuing student status at City College of San Francisco.

WORKING CONDITIONS

The nature of the work may require exposure to inclement weather conditions and may require exposure to hazardous conditions and/or materials which may include feces and/or urine, used syringes, etc.  Some positions require safe driving of large trucks or vans.  Some positions may require riding mowers and driving small utility vehicles. Some positions may require heavy lifting up to 50 lbs. Some positions may require weekend or shift work.
Rate - $23.61/hr

For more information, please email either kendra.armitage@sfgov.org or mark.tilley@sfgov.org.

YEP! (Youth Employment Program) invites teens ages 14–17 to take an active role in strengthening communities while gaining hands-on experience in a fun, supportive, structured work environment.

Greenager Program

The Greenager Program is a San Francisco Recreation and Park Department and Port of San Francisco youth stewardship and leadership program that runs from February through August each year. The program was created and designed to offer teens a chance to play an important role in the community by improving the city’s green spaces, raising awareness, creating place-based projects and/or projects based on issues or themes participants value and are interested in.

The Greenager Program is for teenagers that live in or attend a school in the southeast, northeast, and Tenderloin neighborhoods of San Francisco. Greenagers are trained and provided with multiple leadership opportunities. They facilitate workshops, lead public volunteer service projects, participate in community events, go on fun team excursions and more.

Our goal is to create a safe atmosphere in which youth can learn about the importance of the preservation of our parks and open spaces, voice their concerns about their environment and community, and take action while gaining fundamental job and life skills, push and challenge their perceived limitations, bond with like-minded peers and have fun all in their own backyard!

Quick Facts

• Program established in 2012 with a crew based in southeast SF
• In 2017, added a second crew based in northeast of SF 
• In 2023, added a third crew based in the Tenderloin 
• 123 teens have successfully completed the program, 30 have returned as leaders for a second year
• Coastal Clean Up site captains since 2013
• Engaged with over 530 community members and key stakeholders
• Service provided in over 20 different parks and opens spaces in San Francisco
• 8,767 hours of service to our city’s parks and open spaces, community events and rec centers
• Received Board of supervisor’s program commendation on July 29, 2014
• Annual sailing excursion with Blue Water Foundation and other fun adventures including camping to get youth outdoors

Program Incentives

• Earn paid work experience as a San Francisco Recreation and Park Employee
• Greenagers earn $25 per hour 
• Forge new long-lasting friendships
• Gain valuable and transferable job skills
• Advance your leadership & public speaking skills
• Gain professional work experience
• Explore new parks, rec centers & open spaces
• Learn about SF’s native flora and fauna
• Looks great on your resume

Who can be a Greenager? 

To be a Greenager you must meet the criteria below:

• You must live in or attend a high school in the Southeast Sector of San Francisco (Excelsior, Portola, Bayview, Hunter’s Point, Visitation Valley, Crocker Amazon, or Potrero Hill) or Northeast Sector of San Francisco (Western Addition, Tenderloin and Chinatown); the Tenderloin (Tenderloin Chinatown, Western Addition, Fillmore, and Treasure Island), or you must be referred to us by one of our direct partners.
• 2.0 GPA minimum may be required to obtain a work permit
• First year positions are open for applicants who never completed the program before
• Second year positions are open to applicants who graduated from the program previously
• Must be able to commit to the full program

How do I apply?

If you have questions about the program, please e-mail sfrpdgreenagers@sfgov.org or call 415-831-6319.

The Port of San Francisco is a core partner of the Greenager Program