Meet Shelley Kowalenko, CLT - All Phase Landscape, Inc. and Pickens Tech grad Email
Tuesday, September 27, 2016 06:00 AM

Shelley KowalenkoAs Landscape Account Manager at All Phase Landscape, Inc., Shelley Kowalenko oversees maintenance of 90 separate properties. It’s her job to make sure turf, beds, trees and general maintenance of all 90 sites live up to customer expectations. Says Kowalenko, “I would have never been able to hold such a position without the plant material, landscape maintenance, pruning, irrigation and general horticulture knowledge I gained through the Pickens Technical College program.”

Kowalenko had no background in the green industry when she started the Pickens Horticulture and Landscape Management Program. “I started because I had a simple interest in plants and gardening,” she says. Through the courses, she learned plant material and gained general horticulture knowledge as well as acquired hands-on skills related to landscape maintenance, pruning and irrigation.

During ProGreen EXPO 2011, she took written tests to earn the Landscape Industry Certified Technician. By the conclusion of summer testing that year, she had earned certification in Softscape Installation.

Kowalenko says, “I would have never been able to hold such a position without the knowledge I gained through the Pickens program. It changed my life in ways I never expected and that I am very grateful for.”

Read more in this issue of Colorado Green NOW:
Final enforcement guidance on retaliation issued
Don’t reinvent the wheel on technical training
CSU annual flower trial announces winners
Writing a successful job posting