NALP attends White House workforce event

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The National Association of Landscape Professionals, along with five other associations, recently attended the Our Pledge to America's Workers event at the White House.

NALP was chosen to attend the exclusive event to reiterate its commitment to grow the lawn and landscape industry and expand training opportunities for more than 150,000 people over the next five years. President Donald Trump attended the formal portion of the event, but had to depart for another engagement during the social part of the program.

Under the direction of the President’s executive order, the Pledge to America’s Workers focuses on expanding programs that educate, train, and re-skill American workers. The event was also attended by Larry Kudlow, director of the National Economic Council, Ivanka Trump, who leads the National Council for the American Worker, and key members of the Cabinet and U.S. Congress. The association was represented by NALP President Jeff Buhler of Massey Services, CEO Sabeena Hickman, Vice President of Public Affairs Missy Henriksen, Reynaldo Valle, field manager, and Jillian Gottlieb, assistant field manager of member company Ruppert Landscape.

“We were honored to be invited to the White House to make our commitment to expanding employment opportunities for American workers known,” Henriksen says. “There is a misperception that jobs in this industry are all seasonal labor positions. While those roles are absolutely critical to the important work that lawn and landscape companies do every day, the truth is, our $82 billion industry offers a wide array of lucrative opportunities and career pathways, including many management and executive roles, across the country."

Under the pledge, NALP will continue their efforts to attract employees to the landscaping industry and expand employment opportunities through enhanced technical training, certification and accreditation programs and apprenticeship training.