Many contractors consider a solid labor force the foundation to a successful irrigation operation. And to attract and retain these quality employees, irrigation contractors must offer higher wages and more educational opportunities.
It’s difficult to compete against irrigation contractors who employ cheap, illegal foreign laborers, says Paul Baker, owner of Oasis Irrigation in Brunswick, Ga. “They are paying those workers $8 an hour and they don’t expect to retain them,” he says. “The problem is they’re putting in irrigation systems and yet they can’t read the plan and half of them can’t speak English.”
The only way to gain a competitive advantage in this situation is to increase wages, Baker adds. Irrigation contractors are increasing wages, according to Lawn & Landscape irrigation research. Entry-level irrigation technicians with less than three years of experience make an average of $11.66 an hour, a slight increase from last year, and an irrigation technician with more than three years experience makes an average of $15.81 an hour, the data says. On average, an irrigation foreman earns $30,970.
However, a competitive salary is only part of keeping employees, says Paul Love, owner of Love Irrigation in Ridgeland, Miss. Contractors view education as a way to get employees more involved in the business. Greater quality education with an emphasis on water conservation is more effective in attracting quality irrigation professionals, says Phil Sheppard, irrigation trainer, Irrigation Systems Solutions in Coppell, Texas.
Irrigation contractors are using various methods to educate and train their workers. More than 87 percent of contractors use on-site learning and in-the-field observation as their main training technique, the data says. The research also shows more than 43 percent of contractors use instruction manuals and nearly 40 percent use professional training or certification classes.
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