We’re living in strange pandemic times right now and, luckily, I’ve been able to work straight through 2020 without any stoppages. The stress remains, however.
And while I’ve been counting my blessings, it turns out that many of the summer workers now coming back, are also doing it. Last week I spent a nasty physical day moving soil amender down stairs all day with two young dudes. Both are young enough to be my sons so I try to keep my grey hair out of the way by wearing a toque.
Slim pickings
It’s not easy for young people to find good jobs, even without the coronavirus. With the virus, it’s much worse. One dude worked as a restaurant manager and one in a recreation center, sharpening skates. Their hourly pay was below $15 an hour.
In contrast, landscaping has lots more to offer. Yes, it’s physical but at least you’re outside where six-foot buffers are easy to pull off. And the pay is much, much better. While it differs slightly from worker to worker, they must both be making close to $20 an hour.
We have plenty of work, we train and guide the workers and best of all, they get the pleasure of my company. Now add a bit of sunshine and you have a solid summer job. One of the dudes is still enrolled in college and able to juggle both work and school. He can do this because he’s taking a soft major and most of the work is done online.
Heavy labor
Obviously, there is a catch. We had to move eight yards of soil amender over several flights of stairs and install them in hard to access beds. It was a perfect project for two young summer helpers. I squeezed them hard and I suspect they both slept well on Friday night.
But, I must add, I subscribe to the idea of servant leader. I joined the dudes like a third worker, only taking breaks to spread the soil where we needed it. I hate cherry-picking. If you can, join your workers in the trenches because that’s where you see them and train them. Proper feedback is necessary.
To cool-down, we also installed a little bit of 2-6″ river rock.
Conclusion
Landscaping is a great summer job, especially during a pandemic when many companies aren’t hiring, if they are still operating. The pay is better than retail, you get to enjoy sunshine outside in the landscape, and training is provided. All you need is a good attitude and willingness to sweat it out.
The pleasure of my company is a huge bonus.
