Collegiate Competition: Vying for Tomorrow’s Industry Jobs

COLUMBUS, Ohio – More than 800 college students descended on Columbus, Ohio, over the weekend, seizing an opportunity to strut their stuff in conjunction with “the Associated Landscape Contractors of America’s (ALCA) version of the NBA draft.”

Bizarre to compare the 28th annual ALCA Student Career Days to a professional sports draft?

Perhaps, but not according to Kurt Kluznik. That’s how the president of ALCA explained the collegiate event while addressing attending horticulture students March 26. Although conference attendees did not “hoop it up” while participating in the four-day conference, which ran March 25-28, the group of industry hopefuls showed off their landscaping skills by competing in various events and interviewing with landscape companies from throughout the country.

Students representing 54 colleges and universities pulled out all the stops, vying for the coveted first-place trophy – awarded to the group with the most competitive points by the week’s end. This year’s winner was Brigham Young University-Idaho.

Colorado State University and North Metro Technical College also were recognized for their efforts with second- and third-place honors, respectively.

The winners garnered points through participation in a vast array of skills events – including skid-steer operation, irrigation troubleshooting, weed and turf identification, sales presentations, arboriculture techniques, landscape plant installation and wood construction. Competitive events took place mainly March 27 on the grounds of the Franklin Park Conservatory. And although the vicinity was abuzz with students and accompanying professors prepping and completing events, landscape contractors also were on hand to observe the industry’s up-and-coming workforce.

And contractors enjoyed opportunities to meet with students individually, through face-to-face interviews during the event’s career fair, March 26. More than 100 landscape companies were represented in the four-hour fair, and students took advantage of their presence. Many, hoping to secure jobs or internships, initiated formal interviews with companies of interest.

“You need a company that is going to help you grow in your career,” Kluznik reminded students prior to the career fair. “You are interviewing companies today. You get to decide what job you take, so go ask them the questions.”

And many students did, including Alissa Kurth, a junior student from Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah. “The career fair has been a good opportunity to talk with people about what I’m interested in pursuing for my career,” she noted, explaining her interest in pursuing a master’s degree with emphasis on landscape design. “Just talking with contractors and asking questions about their careers has given me some good perspective.”

Even those students not seeking jobs right away said they gained through the career fair experience. Anna Yeager, a junior at the University of Georgia, said the annual ALCA gathering is a great reminder for students that their diligent studies are appreciated by veterans in the industry. She, personally, was pleased to chat with professionals who are excited about her chosen major – horticulture.
 
And many contractors shared the students’ optimism.

“This whole setup is great for the industry,” explained Mike Graves, account manager, GroundMasters, Dayton, Ohio. “Even if we just hire one person, the visit to this event was well worth it.  It is so difficult to find good employees, and now all of a sudden we have so many in front of us.”

Although nothing had been set in stone before Student Career Days ended, Graves said the company had discovered at least one solid candidate for an open position.

The author is assistant editor-Internet of Lawn & Landscape magazine and can be reached at aanderson@lawnandlandscape.com.