Having certified employees on staff is good for several reasons. It is good for sales and marketing and gives a company instant credibility. Employees who become certified have greater potential for career advancement, and being certified gives them a sense of pride. According to Tom Shotzbarger, CLP, CLT, CTP-CSL, Tomlinson Bomberger Lawn Care & Landscape, Inc., in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, certified employees can also be important lead generators. Since he helped initiate an in-house training program for coworkers four years ago, the company's lead-generating program has increased by nearly 50 percent. As he points out, "It is not the certification per se that generates the leads, but the coworkers - many of whom have become cross- trained and certified in different fields - who 'lead' the way." He explains: "It's not unusual for coworkers in our company to have multiple certifications. Lawn care technicians may also be certified arborists or certified landscape technicians and vice versa. Members of our office staff have even become certified. We all know how important it is to employ knowledgeable people, and training to become certified instills a high level of knowledge."

As Shotzbarger points out, his company offers extensive certification training in-house. Interested employees attend a three-hour class one day a week for 10 weeks. Classes are taught by coworkers, county agents, and other outside professionals. Coworkers volunteer their time to take classes, but those who pass their certification exam receive a bonus.

"Having lawn care technicians who can identify maintenance issues on trees and turf is invaluable for the customer and for us," Shotzbarger adds. "They can alert customers to potential concerns and direct them to one of our other divisions for help. The customer appreciates the added knowledge that our employees bring to the table, and, of course, it helps our bottom line. Cross-trained employees also have more opportunity for career advancement and are generally more employable, which is good for them. It is for us, too, giving us the flexibility to assign them to another division when the workload dictates."

The value of having certified employees on board goes beyond being able to list their credentials in a proposal, Shotzbarger reemphasizes. Certified employees are more knowledgeable, and that is good news for everyone.

Green industry consultant Sara Twaddle, CLP, TxCLP, agrees. Located in Spicewood, Texas, Twaddle has a long list of clients that includes property managers, equipment suppliers, and landscape contractors. "Just having the CLP after my name lets my customers know that I am knowledgeable in my field," she explains, noting that, for a consultant, this is extremely valuable. Twaddle holds a degree in plant and soil science and has worked for many years in the industry before striking out on her own. She became a Texas Certified Landscape Professional 15 years ago and more recently received her PLANET certification. "I totally recognize how valuable certification is to our industry," she relates. "I encourage commercial clients to include a certification requirement in their job specifications, just as I encourage landscape contractor clients to become certified." She emphasizes, it is not the letters but what is behind the letters that gives certification credibility that will ultimately lead the industry to a higher level of professionalism.

To learn more about PLANET's certification programs, call (800) 395-2522 or visit landcarenetwork.org. ~