PLANET | Benefits of Certification

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	Benefits of Certification

In Their Own Words...
“With so many service providers to choose from, informed customers (and they’re the ones we all want to nurture) should be looking for the professional, the company that can stand behind its work with experienced, trained employees. … That’s where PLANET comes in, with its many resources, and yes, with its newly branded certification program—Landscape Industry Certified.” – Bill Hildebolt, Ph.D., Landscape Industry Certified Manager & Technician, PLANET President (Source: PLANET News, February 2010)

“I have always considered certification and higher education as an opportunity to better myself as a person and an employee, to learn more and to challenge myself. I believe that the tangible and intangible benefits of certification have contributed largely to my development as a professional in the industry. I also recognize that it is important for individuals that achieve a certification designation to be supported by their company, and that they take the time to get involved and strengthen the entire certification experience.” -- Matt Owens, Landscape Industry Certified Manager & Technician (Source: Inside Certification, Fall 2009)

“As a PLANET Certified Landscape Professional (CLP) [Landscape Industry Certified Manager] and the owner of GreenWorks since 1991, I have been asked to bid on and have been able to retain the business of the best corporate clients, including Google, Wells Fargo, and Chevron. Without the CLP designation, I am certain we would not have been invited to bid on these accounts let alone keep our customers delighted with our services.” -- Jennifer Farmer, Landscape Industry Certified Manager (Source: PLANET News Interior, September 2009)

Benefits & FAQs

Q: Why should I get certified?
A: Certification enhances your professionalism! Benefits to you may include:

A sense of personal achievement.
Increased respect and recognition in the industry or profession.
Increased professional credibility among customers and prospects.
Increased marketing advantages for your firm by having certified individuals on staff.

Find out more … check out "What is certification and why is it important?"

Q: What certifications are available?
A: There are several different areas of specialization. You choose the specialty endorsement that best suits your needs. Under the Landscape Industry Certified Manager Certification, you may specialize in exterior, interior, or lawn care. Under the Landscape Industry Certified Technician Certification, you may specialize in interior, irrigation, lawn care, softscape installation, hardscape installation, turf maintenance, or ornamental maintenance. PLANET offers various types of marketing materials you can use to promote your landscape industry certification. And keeping your certification current is easy when you attend industry educational events that offer recertification opportunities.

Q: What is the Landscape Industry Certified Manager program?
A: The Landscape Industry Certified Manager program is designed for owners and managers of companies. It focuses on the core business skills required to run a successful operation, and candidates earn their certification by successfully completing a series of written evaluations covering human resources; risk, law, and contracts; strategic planning; corporate financial management; leadership and corporate citizenship; marketing and sales management; production/operations and horticulture; and interior/exterior.

Q: What is the Landscape Industry Certified Technician program?
A: The Landscape Industry Certified Technician program is designed for employees in the industry who are involved in the technical application of skill and knowledge. Landscape Industry Certified Technician candidates must pass a written exam in addition to a hands-on, skills demonstration test performed at a test site that approximates real-life scenarios. The candidate selects a specialty area and is judged on work methods, adherence to best practices, and safety ideals. The exams are administered by licensees and are offered once or twice a year by partner associations.

Q: How do I study for my certification?
A: All of our exams are self-study courses and it is recommended that you purchase the study materials found in PLANET’s Publications Catalog. Exam questions are multiple choice.

Q: How long does it take to get my study materials?
A: You have a variety of options with the shipping methods to select from overnight to several days. Shipping is handled by a PLANET authorized book distribution center.

Q: How do I test for my certification?
A: Conveniently test for the Landscape Industry Certified Manager, the Landscape Industry Certified Interior Technician, the Landscape Industry Certified Ornamental Maintenance Technician, and the Landscape Industry Certified Lawn Care Technician at a PSI computer-based testing center near you. Choosing this option eliminates the need to wait for an industry event to test and saves time and travel expenses. Simply log on to psiexams.com and perform a ZIP code search for a center in your area. A listing of industry events at which written exams will be administered as well as a listing of hands-on exams for the Landscape Industry Certified Technician can be found at landcarenetwork.org/cms/certification.

Q: How long do I have to wait for my results?
A: If you choose PSI, you will know your unofficial results immediately. PLANET mails out official results within 30 days of your test date.

Q: What is the ICC?
A: ICC stands for International Certification Council. The Vision Statement for PLANET's Certification program is:
"driven by market demand, every professional landscape firm aspires to have PLANET-certified employees on staff." The ICC seeks to make that vision a reality by establishing certification programs, administering exams, and enforcing ethical compliance of all certification programs on behalf of PLANET. There are 8 members who serve multi-year terms and each chairs a committee that concentrates on Test Revision, Exterior Test Administration, Exam Development, Program Expansion, Authorization Panel. The ICC meets throughout the year.

MORE CERTIFICATION QUESTIONS?
Visit PLANET’s Certification Center at http://www.landcarenetwork.org/cms/certification/categories.html. Or contact the PLANET Certification Team at certification@landcarenetwork.org or (800) 395-2522.