Certification is voluntary for landscape technicians and designers.
If you've been working in the landscaping field for a few years and have experience under your belt, you may want to go the extra mile by becoming an industry-certified landscape technician, landscape designer or landscape architect. While a degree in horticulture or completing an apprenticeship with a master designer are recommended by national landscape associations to further certification goals, training is also available to guide you in the right direction.
Instructions
Landscape Industry Certified Technician
1. Become a member of the Landscape Contractors Association (LCA) and look into its Landscape Industry Technician certification program. Boost your landscaping skills, get national recognition, and invest in your landscaping career by becoming certified through a nationally recognized association.
2. Prepare for LCA's grueling certification exam by registering for its hands-on and lecture-based training sessions covered over two full Saturdays. Contact the LCA to get a registration packet and submit it by the deadline date.
3. Have at least 4,000 hours experience working as a landscaper, 2,000 hours working as a landscaper plus a two- or four-year industry degree, or 1,000 hours working as a landscaper, a two- or four-year industry-related degree, and have completed an internship program, to be eligible to take the landscaper technician certification test.
4. Apply for LCA's certification exam way before the date of the test so that you can adequately prepare for it. Receive the exam booklet, and buy the study guide recommended by the LCA.
5. Complete the problems contained in the written Common Core exam covering softscape installation, hardscape installation, turf maintenance or ornamental maintenance. Successfully complete all the problems contained in the field test covering all four categories. Applicants must also provide a sample installation or maintenance landscaping project in order to pass.
Professional Landscape Designer Certification
6. Join the Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD) and consider becoming certified as a Professional Landscape Designer. As of 2010, "20 percent of APLD members are certified." The APLD landscape design certification is the only one of its kind in the United States.
7. Become eligible for the landscape designer certification by being a current associate member of the APLD and have at least four years experience working in landscape design. At least one year of related education is required, such as courses in residential landscape design, drawing, construction and maintenance, and plant materials.
8. Submit your application by the first of January, March, August or November. Obtain an application online from the APLD website. Provide three complete landscape projects that include a mix of trees, shrubs, perennials and ground covers.
9. Submit a planting plan drawn to scale, a complete plant list, a design intent statement, a business statement, and before-and-after photographs showing your three landscape designs after two growing seasons.
10. Send your application and a nonrefundable fee to the APLD certification committee by the deadline imposed. You can pay by check or credit card. You'll have to pay a higher fee if you want your submission returned to you. The certification panel will review your submission and certify you if everything is accepted and complete.
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