Certification is a national hands-on testing program administered by the NY State Turf & Landscape association that seeks to recognize proficiency in the landscape workforce, upgrade the status of the landscape professional and provide the public with a means of identifying qualified landscape professionals.

To be a certified Landscape technician, an applicant must pass the Common Elements plus a Core test.  NY State Turf & landscape Association has joined forces with the Plant Land Care Network (formerly ALCA) to offer three Core tests in Installation, Maintenance and Irrigation management.  Irrigation test are currently administered by many state associations in the U.S.A.

Successful completion of the Installation test demonstrates that an individual has the skills to take a landscape blueprint and implement the design in the field.  Passing the Maintenance test shows that a person has the skill to maintain a landscape project in a professional manner.

Developed and organized by the California Landscape Contractors Association’s certification Committee, the exam was first administered in 1983.  In 1994, PLANET (then ALCA) purchased rights to the exam and began to offer it to state associations for their members.

WHAT THE PROGRAM IS NOT

Certification is not a substitute for a landscape contractor’s license and passing the Certification Test does not count toward a state license.  The goals, subject matter and procedures of the Certification test are different from licensing exams.

Certification is not a substitute for any of the state issued pesticide licenses.  The goals, subject matter and procedures of the Certification Test are different form the licensing exams conducted by the Department of Food and Agriculture.

COMMON ELEMENTS

The Common Elements are required skills common to all core test.  Applicants must demonstrate their abilities in the following areas:

Work Order and Work Reports Safety Plan Reading Plant Sensitivity Plant Identification Grading and Seeding Sod installation

Program Controller Irrigation Identification Trucks & Trailer Tree planting Tree Staking /Guying Lateral Repair Chain Saw

INSTALLATION CORE

Plant Layout Instrument Rototiller

Grading / Drainage Paver Installation Tractor Operation

MAINTENANCE CORE

Written General Comprehension Pruning 21” mower 36” Mower Aerator

Edger / Trimmer Riding Mowers Pesticides Fertilizers

IRRIGATION CORE

Irrigation General Comprehension (written test) Lateral Installation Valve Repair Pipe Installation Equipment (Trencher)

Irrigation Plan Reading (written test) Mainline Installation Valve Wiring Pipe Installation Equipment (Pipe Puller)

ADVANCED SPECIALTIES

Advanced Specialty Endorsements are advanced exams which are offered to Certified Landscape technicians upon successful completion of the Common and any Core Element.  PLANET currently offers the following Advanced Specialties:

• Carpentry
• Concrete
• Irrigation Management

BENEFITS OF CERTIFICATION

• Promotes professionalism within the landscape industry.
• Provides national recognition
• Validates landscape skills.
• Creates opportunities for career advancement in the industry.

RECOGNITION

Your company is registered as an employer of Certified Landscape technicians and welcomed to advertise as such.  Persons who pass each test will become Certified Landscape Technicians receiving a numbered certificate and Id card.

TEST PROCEDURES

TESTING BEGINS WITH A WRITTEN TEST FOR EACH CORE.

Applicants then begin a series of timed problems supervised by one or more judges.  Most problems require applicants to install or maintain sample landscape projects.

At the end of each timed session, the applicant rotate to another work station.  This process continues until the end of the testing.

Applicants must pass every problem in order to become a Certified Landscape Technician.  Those who do not pass may retake the failed portions during the next test.

On test day it is require that each applicant present a valid state drivers license, have on steel toe work boots, sleeved shirt and long pants (no tank tops or shorts).

WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR TESTING?

Anyone is eligible to take the exam, but it is recommended that applicants have a combination of one of the following:

• 4,000 hours of work in the landscape industry.
• 2,000 hours of work in the landscape industry plus the successful completion of a two-four year curriculum in the landscape field.
• 1,000 hours of work in the landscape industry plus the successful completion of a two-four year curriculum in the landscape field, plus the completion of an approved internship program.

PREPARING FOR THE TEST

To allow sufficient time for study, persons should apply for examination well in advance of the test date.