The National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) has launched a new website, LandscapeIndustryCareers.org, to promote the virtues of embarking on any of a variety of careers within the landscaping industry. The site also hosts a job board, compensation information, and a library of articles and videos to help promote the profession.
Missy Henriksen, NALP’s vice president of public affairs, talked to Green Industry Pros about the new website — along with what NALP and its contractor members can do to help get the word out in their communities across the country.
Here are some main points that came out of the conversation with Missy Henriksen:
NALP’s Industry Growth Initiative seeks to grow the industry and its workforce. This new website is the foundational block of that broader initiative.
Each year the landscape industry hires 300,000 people. A total of roughly one million people are employed each year.
Well over 300 job openings were already posted by landscape companies within the first couple days of the site being live.
Many landscape companies are now in a position where they have to turn work away because they don’t have the necessary workforce to complete the work.
The new careers website targets both college and high school students, as well as those looking for a career change who strive to be outside more. Much of the site’s messaging speaks to the passions that current landscaping industry professionals have — passions for the environment, pride in craftsmanship and professionalism, working with other like-minded people, and making a positive impact on a community.
The site talks about diversity of careers in the landscaping industry, opportunity for growth and career advancement, and the opportunity to make some pretty good money.
According to NALP’s compensation study published on the site:
- A lawn maintenance technician can expect to earn between $25,000 and $81,000 per year
- A landscape installer can expect to earn between $25,000 and $81,000 per year
- A lawn care technician can expect to earn between $26,000 and $81,000 per year
- An irrigation specialist can expect to earn between $29,000 and $81,000 per year
- An arborist can expect to earn between $36,000 and $81,000 per year
- A landscape designer can expect to earn between $64,000 and $81,000 per year
Check out the site for more on compensation: https://www.landscapeindustrycareers.org/discover-the-industry/compensation-information/
