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Written by Megan Townsend
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Monday, December 11, 2023 12:00 AM |
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Employers of all sizes struggle with recruiting, training, and retention. Apprenticeship could be the triple threat you need to help solve these workforce issues.
Recruitment: Prove to applicants and existing employees that you are invested in their career development.
Training: The apprenticeship model is a structured approach to on-the-job learning and related learning via on-line and/or classroom instruction.
Retention: Employers with registered apprenticeship have better retention rates.
Arborist Apprenticeship got its start in Colorado through the efforts of the Colorado Tree Care Sector Partnership, a collective of tree care companies and municipalities dedicated to solving workforce issues and fostering apprenticeship in Colorado. In 2017, the Sector Partnership collaborated with Front Range Community College (FRCC) in Westminster to develop the related learning curriculum delivered to most arborist apprentices in Colorado. In 2019, the first cohort of apprentices began their journey with the first four Journeyworker Arborists graduating in 2022.
Last fall, the largest cohort to date of 17 apprentices started their first year of apprenticeship.
Apprenticeship in the Denver Metro is taking hold, and we are beginning to see new programs in the Western Slope and beyond.
Developing and registering an apprenticeship seems daunting, but with the help of county and state resources, it is not at all difficult. When working with The Apprenticeship Hub, a free resource, the time investment could be less than one day.
What does apprenticeship look like for an employer? First, you need to register your apprenticeship with the state. You then need to identify people within your organization who have the skills to serve as mentors for apprentices. The state requires a 1:1 Journeyworker (mentor) to apprentice ratio. You can then begin to enroll either existing employees or recruit employees to enroll. It is best to work with a consultant with The Apprenticeship Hub to design and register your apprenticeship. The Colorado Tree Care Sector Partnership can help connect you to the right resources.
What does the training look like for apprentices? The majority of the apprentice’s hours are spent on the job learning the skills on the competency checklist. Remember, apprentices are paid employees. Separate from on-the-job training, there are about 440 hours of required related learning that can be delivered either online or in the classroom. The related learning program at Front Range Community College provides a combination of online and classroom learning. The apprentices at FRCC complete an assigned TCIA online module before attending class and then get hands-on training in a controlled environment with an instructor. These in-person classes are scheduled for a total of 13 days intermittently through the late fall and winter. This makes the related learning minimally disruptive to regular production schedules.
Can an employer have a registered apprenticeship without using Front Range Community College to deliver their related learning? Yes! While most employers utilize Front Range because of the reduced administrative burden to deliver this component of apprenticeship, there are programs registered in Colorado using a combination of TCIA modules and in-house or other training programs to deliver their related learning. This means a company does not have to be in the Denver Metro to have a registered apprenticeship.
How long does apprenticeship take? Most tree-care companies with registered apprenticeship in Colorado choose to register a competency-based model. This means once an apprentice attains all the skills on the competency list and has completed related learning, they can apply for their Journeyworker certificate from the U.S. Department of Labor. This process typically takes two to three years to complete.
What is the cost of having a registered apprenticeship? While this can vary, it is important to know there is an abundance of funding available for apprenticeship, making it very affordable. Last year and this year, a grant acquired by FRCC made tuition for the first year of apprenticeship only $150 or less per apprentice. While the tuition assistance through the grant at Front Range won’t always be available, there are workforce dollars available in every county that are easy for employers to obtain for their apprentices. It is important for applicants to connect with their county workforce center before becoming an employee to be eligible for maximum funding.
The bottom line is financial burden should not stop employers from pursuing registered apprenticeship. Grant dollars are available, and your county workforce centers are eager to help you secure them.
It is important to know there are resources and a community willing to help you set up registered apprenticeship at your company. If you would like to know more about starting a registered apprenticeship program at your company, please reach out to the Colorado Tree Care Sector Partnership at [email protected]. We meet monthly via Zoom, and anyone is invited to join our meetings to learn more about apprenticeship or just get help with workforce issues.
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Written by Colorado Green Now
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Monday, November 20, 2023 12:00 AM |
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SLC Initiative Furthers the Colorado Water Plan
In support of Colorado’s comprehensive Water Plan, released in 2015 and updated in early 2023, ALCC created the Sustainable Landscape Community (SLC) initiative to educate landscape professionals in both public and private sectors about sustainable practices and water conservation. SLC grew from the Sustainable Landscape Management (SLM) certificate program ALCC began offering in 2020.
Colorado’s ongoing, 20-plus-year drought has put increasing strain on both local and national water supplies. Climate change has severely impacted the Colorado River Basin, which provides water to 40 million people, and created historically low runoff levels, causing both Lake Mead and Lake Powell to near dead pool (inability to generate hydropower) levels. A recent study from researchers at New Mexico’s Los Alamos National Laboratory found that Colorado could see a 50 to 60 percent reduction in snow within 60 years.
In response, water utilities across the state have enacted watering restrictions to reduce outdoor water use since 2001, with more on the horizon. In fact, one major Front Range municipality reduced outdoor watering to just two days per week in 2023. ALCC created the SLC initiative to demonstrate how big water users, such as master-planned communities, HOAs and large commercial properties, are, or can become, part of the solution. SLC is a collaborative approach to implementing sustainable and water-saving practices and monitoring results to ensure cost and water savings are attained.
The first collaboration is with the Centerra community in northern Colorado. Developed by McWhinney and in partnership with High Plains Environmental Center and the Centerra Metropolitan District, Centerra will be the first to earn SLC designation in Colorado. Centerra’s SLC commitment will demonstrate how sustainable landscapes are regenerative and responsive to the environment and contribute to healthy communities.
The community will soon release a two-year study that will serve as model for other properties and communities. Now is the time to reduce water use through sustainability and answer the call to action for collaboration in Colorado’s Water Plan. If you manage, govern or oversee a community or property that wants to be recognized for its commitment to water conservation and sustainability, you can learn about the application process and find more information at alcc.com/slc.communities.
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Written by Colorado Green Now
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Monday, November 20, 2023 12:00 AM |
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Regrettably, it is all too common for companies to fall behind in the face of inflation because of their failure to regularly review and adjust their rates, negotiate favorable contracts and reassess their strategies during times of economic volatility. Instead of taking a proactive approach to safeguarding their profit margins, many business leaders react only after experiencing a cash flow crisis, when they find themselves teetering on the brink of failure.
As a landscape professional, it is imperative that you recognize the impact of inflation on your financial decision-making. Inflation refers to the gradual rise in prices over time, which erodes the purchasing power of money. It affects various aspects of your operations, from the cost of materials and equipment to labor expenses.
By understanding the influence of inflation, you can strategically plan and account for increasing costs. Incorporating this knowledge into your pricing structures and budgeting processes ensures the ongoing profitability and sustainability of your business in the long term.
Throughout the past few years, I have collaborated with various industry partners to gather data and analyze inflation trends within Colorado’s landscape industry. This involved comparing these trends with the broader U.S. Consumer Price Index, which serves as a measure of core inflation across a range of goods and services, as demonstrated in Exhibits 1 and 2. Notably, Exhibit 3 highlights significant price increases of 8.3 percent in plant materials over the last year, with even steeper increases of 14.8 percent observed in landscape supplies.
Now, envision the potential impact of these rising material costs, coupled with labor expenses, on your bottom line if you fail to adjust your pricing effectively and in real time. On one hand, I have witnessed numerous companies struggle as they find themselves caught between escalating costs and stagnant prices. Conversely, those who proactively adapt their pricing strategies tend to fare well during periods of inflation. You may be wondering about the possibility of not being able to raise prices because of price-sensitive customers, potentially resulting in a loss of business. In such cases, it becomes crucial to identify alternative areas for cost-cutting or focus on improving operational efficiencies to avoid experiencing a squeeze on profits.
Furthermore, it may be worthwhile to revisit your overall business strategy to navigate these challenging economic conditions.
What can you do? Inflation has a direct impact on your bottom line and profitability, with the potential to jeopardize your business. As the prices of goods and services rise, your expenses will also increase, potentially squeezing your profit margins and ultimately affecting your cash flow. By remaining well-informed about inflation and incorporating its effects into your pricing structures and budgeting processes, you can proactively adapt to rising costs and ensure the financial stability of your business.
Here are five key tips to help you combat the detrimental effects of inflation.
1. Keep a watchful eye on inflation and other macroeconomic trends.
2. Regularly review and update your rates.
3. Consider negotiating favorable contracts to safeguard your profitability.
4. Engage in monthly Financial Strategy Review (FSR) meetings.
5. Boost your financial literacy skills.
In the second part of this series, I will delve deeper into these tips and provide insights on how to effectively weather these economic times.
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Written by Colorado Green Now
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Monday, November 20, 2023 12:00 AM |
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Jessi Burg began her journey as an entrepreneur after surviving a series of toxic work environments. Convinced that there must be a way to value employees, pay a living wage and be able to work outside, she built her landscaping company, Pears to Perennials, in 2017. “After graduation from college in 2007, most of my jobs were seasonal in nature— summer camps, environmental education and urban farming,” Burg says. “So, when I opened my own landscaping company in 2017, I had a lot of ideas but was unsure about running my business. Eventually, I figured out the answers I needed and grew my business.”
Being a business owner gave Burg a voice, and she began advocating for the trades and seasonal and gig economy workers. She also learned a lot about the frustrations that can come with running a company, and that led to the launch of her second business, Outgrow Your Garage, which provides low-cost classes for business owners looking to scale.
Through Outgrow Your Garage, Burg offers online courses that teach companies how to grow sustainably, all built around the idea that professional development should fit into a professional’s workday. Burg built Outgrow Your Garage around her passion for accessible, affordable learning and inclusivity in the business world, with a mission to reduce inequity and promote strong communities through collaboration.
Designed for early-stage landscapers, Outgrow Your Garage is a culmination of what Burg wished she had known when she started in the industry, plus everything she has learned since. All courses are affordable, easy to access online and offer practical advice that helps businesses create action plans.
“I started as a landscaper, so the classes are built to solve mobile service business problems,” Burg says. “I won’t tell you how to run your business. My goal is to help businesses ask the right questions and build operations processes effectivel
Turning work into love
“I like to say that, at this point, I’m unemployable,” Burg says. “I left that one single office job because I didn’t like it—but I also wasn’t a very good employee. I like to be able to set my own hours and work on projects that interest me. I like to have the freedom to adapt my services to what’s most needed. Being self-employed means I can set up my ideal work environment.”
With Outgrow Your Garage, Burg gets to work directly with other landscape companies instead of running her own, which has given her the time and flexibility to move to the Western Slope and buy a farm.
“Ten years ago, I would never have thought I would be interested in running an online learning company for business owners,” Burg says. “I adore the problem-solving aspects. I know that I cannot fix systematic problems, but I can give tools to help companies grow.
The trades are often overlooked when it comes to business policy and ideas, Burg says. As a non-field worker, she can both advocate for small landscape businesses and also help them grow. “Good operations mean you can hire a field crew, get them set up in the morning and then do your admin work.”
Burg is building out a course-hosting platform to start licensing Outgrow Your Business content so other businesses, nonprofits, schools, libraries and industry groups can access it. “Outgrow Your Garage is an operations company,” Burg says. “A lot of business owners know what they need, but they do not know how to get there. My favorite thing to say about business is that you should aim for different problems. No business is problem-free, but if your problems are changing year to year, you are learning from your mistakes. And that’s how you build a stable business.”
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