Industry Growth Initiative marks significant progress in Q1 2018 Email
News
Tuesday, March 27, 2018 04:00 AM


Industry Growth Initiative logoThe National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) has issued a progress report for its Industry Growth Initiative, a nationwide effort to grow the industry and its workforce. Since January 1, a number of actions have helped raise awareness of and involvement in the landscape industry.

Raising the Visibility of Industry Careers
An ad campaign drove 96,000 people to the job board over the past three months, attracting prospective employees to participating companies.

Videos for Millennials
The first in a host of videos created to connect with millennials are now live. Modeled after the popular dating app, Tinder, these videos offer viewers a digital look at potential career options that aren’t the right match until they find their ideal connection with a landscape industry career. Check them out online: General Landscape Professional, Lawn Care Technician, and Landscape Account Manager.  Next up: “Confessions of the Profession” and “A Day in the Life of…” videos are in currently in production.

Third Party Endorsement for the Profession
What if those with great influence over teens told them to pursue a landscape industry career? What if a trusted advisor encouraged parents or academic advisors to prompt teens to pursue a career in this industry? Too good to be true, right? No, not at all. NALP is working with bloggers (key influencers) to do just that. More to come next month!

National Collegiate Landscape Competition
NALP hosted a successful event in North Carolina that welcomed 650 students and more than 100 high school students in local FFA chapters. 72 scholarships were awarded to motivated post-secondary students. Facebook Live features and media outreach broadened the reach of that event to a nationwide audience.

Raising the Industry’s Visibility and Showcasing Professionals

The 2018 Landscape Trends media release continues to influence thinking, most recently through big outlets like BobVila.com and the DIYNetwork.com, and in commercial outlets including Cleaning and Maintenance Management, Facilities Management, and Facilities Executive.

In an effort to build followers and fans – and more broadly share the industry’s voice – NALP launched the Ultimate Yard Sweepstakes to encourage the public to connect with them through LoveYourLandscape’s social properties. A special thank you to Husqvarna, Stihl, and TruGreen for their great offerings for our grand prize winner!

NALP recently opened a survey with the National Association of REALTORS to collect data to reinforce the value of managed residential and commercial landscapes. Please help them best represent the industry by completing the brief survey by March 29th.

Promoting Hardscapes
Better data can help promote the industry. One NALP member recently used data collected with the National Association of REALTORS reinforcing the value of landscape enhancements and their article on 4 Ways Hardscapes Can Add Value to Your Home has been published more than 100 times in outlets including the Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun, LA Times, Orlando Sentinel, Connecticut Post, and others.

Winter Maintenance for Spring Turf 
Thanks to STIHL, NALP was again able to share the industry’s voice in Athletics Administration (page 21) on important winter considerations for peak performance in the spring. Thank you to Kujawa Enterprises and Ruppert Landscape for input for the piece.

Prepping for National Lawn Care Month
Don’t forget April is National Lawn Care Month. NALP is preparing lots of resources, including their new Weed Watch that will spotlight the expected prevalence of particular weeds in various parts of the country, extensive media outreach, a Facebook Live feature on healthy lawns, new video content for social sharing and course, big pushes on social media to address the importance of healthy lawns. Join them in using #LawnCareMonth.

Landscape Career Day
A 21-page toolkit of resources has been created to help you host a fantastic event. Don’t forget to register your event so NALP can track the industry’s offerings.

Looking Ahead
The NALP Foundation’s Board of Directors approved the 2018-2019 budget for the Industry Growth Initiative that includes a difference--making projects like:

  • Regional media pitching to connect journalists to local companies and regional trends
  • Creation of social sharing videos that promote the industry and its professionals
  • Extensive research to learn how students make career choices, how parents and academic advisors influence such decision making, and what messages about the profession resonate
  • Collection of comprehensive compensation data to better represent industry opportunities
  • Development of a toolkit to encourage high schools to teach industry-focused curriculum
  • Expanded social media and content promotion to entice people to consider industry careers

For more information or to support the Industry Growth Initiative, visit http://www.landscapeprofessionals.org/foundation/foundation/alcc.aspx

Read more in this issue of Colorado Green NOW:
Emerald Ash Borer identified in Lyons
The ELITE Awards announced at annual reception
Colorado made its mark at National Collegiate Landscape Competition

Changes made to Landscape Industry Certified Technician recertification regulations