ASSESSING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MULTI-STATE GREEN INDUSTRY TRAININGS
Horticulture & Turfgrass
Timothy Daly
County Extension Agent
University of Georgia
McDonough
Abstract
Green industry professionals face challenges in obtaining the necessary training to learn new methods and technologies and get the required credits to maintain their pesticide licenses and arborist certification. As a response to this need, a program was developed called the Southeastern Green Industry Update that has been held via Zoom Conferencing. He has partnered with agents and specialists in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida to offer recertification programs to audiences in all four states providing the necessary credits for their license in each state as well as ISA certified Arborist Continuing Education Units. In the fall of 2021 Tennessee and Alabama were included. The agendas consisted of multiple speakers who gave presentations on diverse topics. Five programs have been held since the Fall of 2020, with a total of 365 participants. In a post-class evaluation by Qualtrics, 95% of participants indicated that the program would help them use pesticide in a safer, more efficient manner, 70% said they would make changes in the way they handle pesticides and control landscape and turf pests, and 70% said they would save money based upon the knowledge gained at the programs. One participant commented, "We have been making changes to stay ahead of problems; many are the ones discussed in the presentations," "Thank you for your support of the industry. Your programs are a great source of affordable credit hours," and “I found the program helpful in increasing my understanding of a multitude of pest control practices that I will utilize.”
Authors: Timothy Daly
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Timothy Daly County Extension Agent, University of Georgia Extension, Georgia, 30252