In the beginning
Picture me, years ago, already an experienced landscaper, sitting inside the candidate tent. I was about to do practical testing in various landscape stations and I felt very nervous, and very small. I thought maybe I could calm myself down by finishing the last donut on the table but then, my buddy stormed in. And he was pissed.
When he attempted to test his irrigation line repair job, the heads were covered in sand and he couldn’t screw them back on properly. By the time he had done it, he was out of time. He’d have to wait until the following spring to attempt it again. So, he went off, yelling about the bullshit design of his testing station, etc.
He was adding another load to my anxiety.
Chainsaw massacre
My chainsaw station was manned by a lumberjack with a thick German accent and he could tell I was nervous. It was so bad, he offered me to take a pass and walk away. Yeah, right. I did everything correctly but I neglected to set-up my log. My chainsaw was on, ready to go, but I didn’t have anything to cut. It was time to reset and, luckily, I had plenty of time.
I did pass the station.
Now, the candidates weren’t allowed to watch others but judges could do whatever they liked. That’s how I noticed several former managers and employers, staring from a not-so-discreet distance. I had to overcome my own shyness and block them out. They were the ones who inspired me to make a promise to myself.
I made a promise to myself that one day I would be standing on the other side, as a judge, watching and marking!
Tag
That’s where my name tag comes in. The Canadian Landscape Nursery Association (CLNA) was asking for volunteer judges, and I had to jump at the opportunity because this would be the very last practical testing event at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU). The funny thing is, I felt just as nervous judging!
Incidentally, the judging has now moved online. It’s up to the candidates to set-up their stations, video tape the work and submit the file online for judging. The certification is now called Certified Landscape Horticulturist Technician (CLHT).
Since I had intimate knowledge of the planting and staking station, I volunteered for it. (I passed it on my third attempt.) It was up to me to make sure the candidates had everything they needed. Once they read over the instructions, they had thirty minutes to complete the station. My job was to watch and score them.
I was allowed to automatically disqualify them if they raised the stake pounder tool over their heads. That’s because it’s extremely dangerous. They could crack their skulls, right there in the middle of the testing station. And I have since heard of at least two local landscapers hurting themselves like this.
Overall, it was a great day. I picked up some old, discontinued branded baseball caps and t-shirts, met local company owners and scored a few education credits.
But, the feeling of accomplishment was priceless! As a candidate, I knew I had the skills but I didn’t quite believe it at the time. I felt very small. So, it’s not just another name tag. When I see the picture, it makes me smile. The kind of smile you get from mission accomplished.
