Certification Spotlight:
“For me personally, getting the Certified Lawn Care Technician National designation is self gratifying and gives me a sense of accomplishment. I believe that being certified is a way to distinguish yourself from other lawn care technicians in the industry. I'm continuously looking to better myself and I look forward to maintaining the CEUs as a way to stay current in my field. My employer, Chalet, supports and encourages continuous education and I am grateful to have had this opportunity.”
--Tony Kacinas, Landscape Industry Certified Technician, Chalet, North Chicago, Illinois
NEW EXAM for Lawn Care Technicians
Landscape Industry Certified Lawn Care Technician-National
Stand out and be among the first to earn this designation! Becoming Landscape Industry Certified underscores your professionalism and commitment to best practices, and enables you to promote your certified status to coworkers and customers.
This credential is directly linked to the practice of the profession — the 100-question test takes approximately two hours and reflects what you should already know as a lawn care practitioner.
Read all about the development of this exam and how lawn care subject matter experts determined the makeup of the exam.
From my perspective, the exam is for someone who has been in lawn care and wants to take his or her career to the next level. In that regard, some of the questions are more holistic in nature, testing an individual’s understanding of agronomy, as well as how to calibrate a fertilizer spreader and read a label.
— Fred Haskett, Landscape Industry Certified Manager, U.S. Lawns of West St. Louis and St. Charles County (one of 12 subject matter experts involved in exam development)
Review the test content outline below. If you are comfortable with the subject, little preparation is needed. Reference material suggestions are listed below if you need further preparation.*
Lawn Care Technician Exam Content Outline
- Turfgrass, weed, pest, and disease identification
- Pest control strategies, economic impact thresholds, and cultural practices
- Ability to read labels and guidelines and calculate area to be treated (basic math skills)
- Basic soil science and soil sampling
- Application techniques
- Environmental and weather impact of applied products
- Regulatory compliance
- Proper loading, accident procedures, reports, and spill management
- Vehicle and equipment maintenance
- Basic sales and customer communications
*Reference Material Suggestions — If you need further preparation, here are a few resources suggested by some of our exam development subject matter experts.
- Refer to state pesticide handling guidelines and use “core manuals” provided by states to prepare technicians for the state licensing exam.
- Check out Web sites of turf schools for popular lawn care books and materials.
- Some popular books include Destructive Turf Insects by David J. Shetlar and Dr. Harry D. Niemczyk; Compendium of Turfgrass Diseases, Third Edition, by Richard W. Smiley, Peter H. Dernoeden, and Bruce B. Clarke; Turfgrass Problems: Picture Clues and Management Options by Eva Gussack and Frank S. Rossi, Department of Horticulture, Cornell University; Color Atlas of Turfgrass Diseases by Toshikazu Tani and James B. Beard; Turfgrass Management by A.J. Turgeon; Managing Turfgrass Pests by Thomas L. Watschke, Peter H. Dernoeden, and David J. Shetlar.
- If you’ve taken and passed the Landscape Industry Certified Lawn Care Manager (CTP) exam studying the Principles of Turfgrass Management, which is a part of this certificate course and not sold separately, you might want to refer to your course book as a solid reference resource.
TESTING OPPORTUNITIES
Computer-based testing: Exams are offered in a computer-based format at PSI Testing Centers (extra fee required). Paper-and-pencil: Check out testing opportunities nationwide. If you're located in the VA-MD-DC area, consider taking the test at the PLANET office. Contact PLANET to arrange a date and time.
PROGRAM COSTS
TESTING FEES*Paper-and-pencil format at date on PLANET Exam Schedule
PLANET member: $200.00
Nonmember: $300.00
Group discounts are available … contact PLANET.
*Additional fees required for computer-based testing
HOW TO REGISTER
Download the application, complete the form, and fax it along with credit card payment information (indicate MasterCard, Visa, Discovery, or American Express) to (703) 736-9668 , or mail application with a check (made payable to the Professional Landcare Network) for the full amount of the application fee to the Professional Landcare Network, Inc., P.O. Box 822945, Philadelphia, PA 19182-2945.Complete and return Exam Registration form when ready to test.
NEED FOR SPECIAL TEST CONDITIONS OR ACCOMMODATIONS
PLANET complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by offering candidates with documented disabilities the opportunity to request necessary aids and services that do not fundamentally alter the assessment process. Please contact PLANET for details. Applications for accommodations must be submitted at least 45 days prior to your scheduled examination date.
If you have questions, contact PLANET at (800) 395-2522, or email certification@landcarenetwork.org
MARKETING TOOLS
Once you’re Landscape Industry Certified, you receive the following to assist in the promotion of your prestigious achievement:
- Lapel pin
- Certificate of achievement
- Wallet cards
- Online toolkit with logos and more
- Press release for use in publicizing accomplishment
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