With the current labor shortage in the landscape industry, the slow but steady progress of the Landscape Career Pathway Program may seem frustrating. Waiting for graduates enter the industry may seem like forever. But when you consider the efforts that it took to reach this point in the process—where we might see graduates in the workforce as soon as next spring—it’s clear that the program has made considerable progress in less than two years.

When parents think of hoped-for professions for their college-bound kids, working in the landscape industry is rarely on the preferred list with surgeon, attorney, accountant, engineer or IT wizard. So it’s no surprise when Zach Johnson—professor in CSU’s Environmental Horticulture, Landscape Design nd Contracting program—meets with parents of prospective students, he has an uphill climb.  But telling them some of his grads are earning six-figure incomes does get their attention.