From Where I Stand

from The Landscape Contractor magazine AUG.20 Digital Edition

Hidden Landscape Gems The Sunken Garden at Phillips Park

Always two, there are, no more, no less. at CLC. The initial conversations were had between Scott Grams,

A master and an apprentice President at the time Tom Lupfer, and representatives of Triton College. We sketched out the earn-as-you-learn program that would result in —Yoda, Star Wars: Episode I a student getting a certificate from a community college in a series of informal meetings. The problem is that in order for an apprenticeship This fall, the ILCA and the College of Lake program to work, you need a strong batch of willing County are piloting an ambitious apprenticeship employers. I went back and did a “suitability analysis” program for landscape employers. This has been for four programs with strong hort degrees - Joliet the result of a long journey from concept to reality. Junior College, the College of DuPage, the College of We now stand on the threshold of creating a lasting Lake County, and Triton College. I then overlaid the program that marries education and work experience ILCA membership onto these districts and found that while providing ILCA members the types of skilled the most amount of ILCA members were in or adjacent and dedicated employees companies need to build to Lake County. Unfortunately, Triton has the least businesses around. This has been the result of listenamount of ILCA members in the community. That ing to our members for decades remark about the meant that if this program could not be successful in labor shortages in our industry and how motivated, Lake County, it would not be successful somewhere young employees were needles in a haystack. else.

The term “apprentice” struggled, for decades, ILCA met with Rory Klick of the College of Lake to gain a foothold in American culture. The word County and she was immediately receptive. Rory apprentice seems reserved for the middles ages, has been working in horticulture for a long time. labor unions, or the bad guys in Star Wars. The conShe understands students, she understands employcept of apprenticeship goes back almost a millennia. In fact, it can be traced back to the 1100s when trades A Guild of ers, and she has evolved her program to say relevant with a changing industry. She has produced hundreds struggled to create a labor pipeline. I am sure you could go back to the minutes of the London Leather Master of program graduates who fill top positions in the Illinois landscape industry. We also felt a swell of Tanners Association in 1400 and read complaints about “kids today” and a labor shortage in their indusCraftsmen support from the College, as a whole. Apprenticeships are a fantastic niche for community colleges as they tries. attempt to work the margins between high schools

Conceptually, apprentices were a way for profesand 4-year colleges. They also have the burden and sions to control who entered the trades and also cultivate subsequent benefit of recruiting in one targeted area and understand the needs of generations of workers. Apprentices in Europe typically had a path. The their communities. They create lasting relationships with high schools guild shops were controlled by Master Craftsmen. Workers underneath and employers and are much more nimble than universities. I serve on them were journeymen who hopefully would work their way up the the College of DuPage steering committee and they are fearless. They ladder and take over the business. Finally, young men would become are constantly tweaking the educational content and creating new career apprentices and they would train under the tutelage of the Master pathways that mirror industry need. Craftsmen. An earn-as-you-learn apprenticeship program is relatively simple.

There is no real universal, global standard for apprentices. Some Employers identify an apprentice and that apprentice works for the countries use carrots and some use sticks. England, for example, creemployer for at least 32 hours per week. In the evening, they break ates incentives for employers to use apprentices and reduces regulations early from work, get cleaned up and get their game face on for a long and employment burdens. Other countries, like Germany, try and pluck night of schooling. They take college-level coursework on their path poorly performing students out very young and put them on a path to to a certificate program from one of the top horticulture programs support the trades. They are much more out in the open about certain in Illinois. In addition, they meet other apprentices in the program students struggling in a typical college environment without a safety net and build a professional network. They are paid at least $13 an hour. of skills to fall back on. The United States has about 500,000 apprenApprentices are not interns. They are full-time employees that a comtices, nationwide. We are a country of 330 million people. To contrast pany is making an investment in. They also work every day. They don’t that, Australia has 475,000 with a population of 23 million people. receive an education in a bubble, but immediately understand how edu

Apprenticeships have become increasingly popular over the past 15 cation clicks into practical job skills. years. Most of the trades have indicated severe shortages of interested Employers can identify apprentices in a few ways. They can either employees. Construction and manufacturing have seen the worst slides be a shooting star employee that they want to have enter the program. as most of the US economy and jobs market leans towards serviceThey can be someone known to the company, perhaps a child, friend, or based and medical professions. spouse of a current employee. Finally, they can be someone that CLC

In the 1960’s, only a little more than half of US adults had a high has recruited or a current student and then will be interviewed and hired school degree. That number is now 93%. In the past, those without by the employer. high school degrees were ripe for vocational training. Now, those same There are multiple pathways for apprentices whether in landscape young people consider college or jobs with higher pay and less physical design, construction and maintenance, arboriculture, or plant producrequirements. It is clear that there is now a market for part-time students tion. Apprentices will take six classes and their employment counts that exists between those with a high school degree and those without as a practicum. The cost for the entire program is only $3600. That is an Associates or Bachelor’s degree. In fact, 46% of US adults falls into 18 credit hours for $3600! As a comparison, when I was earning my that gap. Master’s Degree from Northwestern in 2002, a 3-credit hour course was

The concept of the ILCA/CLC apprenticeship program didn’t begin $5,000 by itself. The $3600 fee also includes books and is billed in four

$900 installments. To put that into perspective, these apprentices will go to school for two years, take high level college coursework built around what the employer has them doing, use college textbooks and preparatory materials, and the employer is expected to pay $35 a week, and they get a full-time employee. If you factor in the required third year of work, it drops down to $23 a week.

Both the apprentice and employer will work under the terms of an apprenticeship agreement. The purpose of the agreement is to have complete transparency so both parties may be held accountable. The ILCA and CLC will also intervene to make sure the terms of the agreement are adhered-to. The apprentice will complete the two years of the program and is then expected to work for one year after the program concludes. In addition, the apprentice, via a small payroll deduction, will have 10% of the tuition put into an escrow account. Upon completion of the program, the apprentice will receive that as part of a bonus payment, thereby making the program free.

I’ve listened to more conversations than I can count from employers who “thought” they had found the heir apparent just to see that employee slip through their fingers. We all know, every single one of us, that success in this business starts with having a great team. It reduces stress and anxiety, it builds profit, it increases morale, it is the “meaning of life” in the landscape industry. Surround yourself with the best people - money and job satisfaction follow. Then it gets all mucked up because we fail to keep that team together. Every employer, myself included, can be too foolish, selfish, cheap, or arrogant to realize a good thing until it’s gone.

This program can be a game-changer. It is not going to heal the industry’s labor woes. This program is not designed to exist on a macro-scale. It is not going to flood the labor market with thousands of hungry applicants. This program is going to change one business at a time. It checks all the boxes. It doesn’t create ivory tower job candidates unaware of the demands and sacrifice of the industry. It provides high quality education and training from full time and adjunct faculty who understand the industry. It solves the problem of talented employees darting off to new opportunities. It helps students build a professional network which is one of the key factors to success and to help navigate difficult times. It firmly demonstrates to an employee - I care about you.

The hope is to establish success at CLC and then take this to other community college and employment markets. All we need now are employers willing to take that leap. For $23 a week, your company can reunite education and experience in higher education. You can demonstrate to a new hire or current employee - “I believe so much in your future, I am sending you to college for free.” ILCA and CLC are so excited to launch this program. We feel we have created a roadmap to success for any company who chooses to participate. This program has the ability to change lives. ILCA is home to the best master craftsmen in Illinois. If we can’t convince one apprentice to thrive in our industry, how will we convince thousands?