NALP Initiatives to Strengthen our Industry Workforce

According to Bureau of Labor Statistics, the landscape industry had 71,000 unfilled jobs in 2017 (the most recent year for which data is available). This number quantifies what most industry professionals know all too well – the workforce shortage has reached crisis proportions. The National Association of Landscape Professionals is leading efforts to address this problem through the Industry Growth Initiative (IGI), charged with growing the workforce and the industry, and committed to attracting 100,000 people to the industry by 2025.

NALP’s IGI is tackling the workforce shortage in a variety of ways including through extensive messaging to millennials, women, veterans and others to attract them to the profession. That voice to educate people about the industry has come through social media on the new WhyILandscape channels, partnering with bloggers and social influencers, media relations activities, and advertising campaigns. In fact, advertising drove more than 100,000 people the job board associated with LandscapeIndustry Careers.org over the past year. IGI has created fliers, brochures, presentations, and more than two dozen videos that showcase career opportunities in the industry and they have developed additional resources to support Landscape Career Day, a non-date-specific opportunity to connect students and job seekers with the profession. They are also working with students and educators to promote the importance of the work done by the industry.

NALP continues to work in concert with industry stakeholders to engage in strategic discussions and solution strategies. The association has sponsored two workforce summits for state and national association leaders and they will host the first workforce summit for industry professionals February 12-13, bringing CEOs, senior executives and HR professionals together to identify what changes must be made to business models to successfully combat the employee shortage and how the industry can best compete to attract the best and brightest to the field.

Sabeena Hickman, NALP’s CEO, noted “industry professionals are realizing how important it is to work together in combatting the lack of talent needed to sustain and grow their businesses. They are recognizing the industry must stand together in presenting itself to future employees as the competition for talent is not from the landscape company down the street but from manufacturers, construction companies, retailers, etc.”

One of NALP’s newest developments in addressing workforce development is the creation of the Landscape Management Apprenticeship Program that will debut in early 2019. The DOL registered program will help attract men and women to the profession and provide extensive training for tens of thousands of people. Through the program, contractors will hire apprentice candidates, ensure they receive 2000 hours of training in 17 competency areas while they are being paid, and support their completion of 144 hours of classroom instruction in landscape maintenance, installation, and irrigation.

Companies that offer the apprenticeship program should enjoy a huge advantage in hiring and employee retention. Individuals who complete the program will receive a nationally recognized designation and are expected to receive college credit at more than 300 institutions. NALP hopes to use the apprenticeship program to help in training and retraining more than 150,000 people over the next five years.

The federal government is investing tremendous resources in apprenticeship offerings, believing these earn-as-youlearn programs will help industries desperately working to recruit the employment help they need. With the re-invigoration of these decades-old programs that have historically been associated with the trades and construction, federal and state dollars are becoming readily available, creating tax credits to companies sponsoring apprentices and funding for apprentice training and related costs. For companies operating in states providing such resources, businesses will be able to train employees at little to no cost.

After the launch of the first apprenticeship program, NALP will turn its attention to the creation of similar programs including those for lawn care technicians, mechanics, etc. These programs are envisioned to be a game-changer for the industry and its ability to attract individuals to the profession.

Those wishing to learn more about NALP’s leadership to address the workforce shortage or the Landscape Management Apprenticeship Program can visit www.landscapeprofessionals.org.