WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

OLA has been looking for ways to engage our youth and expose young people to the landscape industry. We know that many students don’t know what great career opportunities are available in our industry and how many different types of jobs are available in landscape companies.

Last summer, the OLA PR and Marketing Committee (the committee that is charged with workforce development) struck gold. Committee member Traci Ward of Kurtz Bros. reached out to Randi Borosh, the Career Specialist at the Cuyahoga Valley Career Center for the BrecksvilleBroadview Hts. School District. Randi was excited to meet with our committee and learn about the many opportunities available in our industry.

Randi set up a meeting for us with the principal of the Brecksville-Broadview Hts. High School (BBHHS), Kevin Jakub. At the meeting he gave us a tour of the school and was very receptive to the types of careers we have to offer.

Mr. Jakub invited his Environmental Sciences and CAD teachers to meet with us. We were given the opportunity to get inside the classroom and teach students. Bob Ramser of Turfscape taught the students why the landscape at the main entrance to their school failed. He taught them about how you select plants –right plant, right location, and a bit about design.

As it turns out, Bob is a natural instructor. He let the students brainstorm and never made them feel they made a bad

SANDY MUNLEY Executive Director / OLA

suggestion. Although, he did tease the student who insisted a hot tub should be installed. That student’s nickname is now “Hot Tub” throughout the school!

Bob then was able to meet with the CAD class students along with Brian Knauer of the Pattie Group to show them how you can draw landscape plans with CAD – not just floor plans, buildings, etc.

The Pattie Group pulled together a design for the front entrance area of the school using many of the decisions the students made.

On Sunday, May 7, a group of industry professionals removed the existing landscape at the school. We felt it was safer to use equipment when the students were not around.

The following weekend, the students and professionals worked hand in hand to install the new landscape – just in time for Prom and Graduation, and before the school year ended!

A different group of students came out every class period on Friday and Randi Borosh estimates that we had close to 300 students involved! Some of those students had never dug a hole, let alone planted a tree or shrub.

I cannot say enough about those that volunteered on Sunday, and the following Friday and Saturday, during the busiest time of year! And those that spent many hours in the classroom

Welcome New Members

The OLA would like to welcome its newest members!

Regular Members

B&B Landscaping & Tree Service LLC

5334 Darrow Road

Hudson, OH 44236

(330) 618-4671

Brent Townsend

Going Yard Lawn & Landscape

4043 Beck Ave.

Louisville, OH 44641

(330) 428-0587

Timothy Butera

Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens

714 N. Portage Path

Akron, OH 44303

(330) 836-5533

Tom Hrivnak

Associate Members

Pace, Inc.

739 S. Mill Street

Plymouth, MI 48170

800-686-3128

Katie Gorham helping to teach the students. And thank you to our committee. Special thanks to our partners who provided guidance, labor, plants, and materials:

• Brecksville Broadview Hts.High School

• Brian-Kyles

• Cuyahoga Valley Career Center

• Davis Tree Farm and Nursery

• J.F.D. Landscapes

• Kurtz Bros., Inc.

• Lake County Nurseries

• McCaskey Landscape and Design

• The Pattie Group, Inc.

• Turfscape, Inc.

• Willoway Nurseries, Inc.

• Wolf Creek Company

A great job by all! If you are interested in doing a project like this with a school in your area, please let me know. We are hoping this is a pilot program that we will be able to duplicate with other schools.