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ALCA's mission is to advance the professional and personal growth of its members and the landscape services industry. One way it does this is through programs that certify our frontline employees ? the technicians. The folks on the job sites, wearing the company uniform, have as much to do with building the reputation of your company as they do with building any project. To neglect to foster the development of a sense of pride in the work they do would be a mistake. Certification is one way for technicians to be recognized for their skills and knowledge, to gain a sense of self-esteem, and to achieve the qualities of leadership that might have been missing.

The Certified Landscape Technician (CLT) (called ?Certified Horticultural Technician? [CHT] in Canada) is the only internationally available certification program designed specifically for the field-level technician.

The CLT-Exterior program is available to landscape workers who want to establish credentials by meeting international standards for the safe and effective operation of machinery and by demonstrating a thorough understanding of all facets of the position.

The candidate is required to pass a one-day exam comprised of both written and hands-on testing. Candidates choose to be tested in one of three specialty areas: installation, maintenance, or irrigation. ALCA licenses state and provincial associations to administer this test, and many exams are offered at permanent testing sites on college campuses. The CLT-Exterior exam is currently offered in 23 U.S. states and by four regional divisions of the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA). The designation carries a high level of prestige across North America for the high standards it requires.

ALCA also offers a CLT program for interior landscape contractors. The CLT-Interior exam is a four-hour, multiple-choice test covering a range of topics related to the performance of the Interior Landscape Technician position. The test is given in conjunction with conferences throughout the year. Consult the ALCA Web site, www.alca.org, for dates and places.

Just as for CLT-Exterior candidates, the CLT-Interior program is designed for those who want to demonstrate a mastery of a body of knowledge recognized as a national standard. The interior technician comes face-to-face with your clients every time they service the account. Don?t you want to have confidence that they project an image of knowledgeable professionalism that will keep that account renewing year after year?

ALCA's certification programs are something to be proud of. What better way is there for technicians to demonstrate command of their profession and to raise industry standards throughout the United States and Canada? Don?t just encourage your technicians to get certified, insist on it. Challenge them to go for a designation. Train them to be ready for the test, and watch them bloom with confidence when they can proudly place ?CLT? after their name.

By Matt Triplett, CLP, CLT, Willamette Landscape Services, Inc., Tualatin, Orego