Workforce
High school students get head start in certification
On
St. Vrain Valley CDC students with instructor Angie McCreavy (L) and Kristie Hayden (R)
a chilly day in late May, high school students gathered at Pickens Technical College in Aurora to test the landscape industry skills they’ve been practicing during the school year. ALCC hosted a Passport to Certification student certification test on May 29. The opportunity allows students in landscape-related studies in high schools and technical colleges around the state to take the first steps toward landscape industry certification. The student certification test combined elements from the Nursery/Landscape Career Development Event competition for Colorado FFA and the
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www.alcc.com
nationally recognized Landscape Industry Certified Technician program. Students from two Front Range high schools, Westminster High School and St. Vrain Valley Career Development Center, participated in the following tests: • General Knowledge/Common Core • Landscape Estimating, Plant/Pest/ Equipment Identification • Plant Layout • Basic Program Controller • Lateral Repair and Head Adjustment • Tree Planting and Staking.
Industry volunteers served as judges for the hands-on test problems. “The students should be commended for taking this step in their professional development. Participating in industry certification at their level of education is really impressive. Every student who tested passed at least one of the test problems,” said Melissa Emdin, ALCC Programs and Education Director. ALCC plans to make the Passport to Certification test an annual event and expand the event to include students from more high schools. |CG
