Taproot May/June 2012 : Page 1
A publication of the Idaho Nursery and Landscape Association May – June, 2012 Supporting Our Members to Advance Idaho’s Green Industry Do you have a Certified Nursery Professional on your staff? The INLA Certification Committee has been busy working in many different ways this past year to ensure that the things that are being taught at High Schools and Technical Institutions are in line with what the industry feels is important. The President signed the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 2006 into law on August 12, 2006. It is through this act that states receive funding for their programs. The new Act provided an increased focus on the academic achievement of career and technical education students, strengthen the connections between secondary and postsecondary education, and improve state and local accountability. This gave INLA an opportunity to step in and become very instrumental in incorporating the Certified Nursery Professional study manuals and exams into their curriculum. The INLA CNP exam is the ONLY statewide industry certification that the Perkins Act recognizes as being “accountable.” Others industries (engineering, automotive, nursing to name a few) can only use national certifications. INLA Board of Directors and the committee members are dedicated to working with educational institutions so that when you are choosing employees there will be individuals that have taken extra steps to educate themselves and become knowledgeable in Idaho’s nursery industry. The Plant ID exam was given in the summer during the North Idaho Chapter Meeting. The full CNP exam is given to College of Western and Southern Idaho students as an exit exam for their 2-year programs. In addition, a Horticulture Skills Assessment Certificate has been created to give to College of Southern Idaho 1-year students. This exam is composed of 100 written multiple choice questions and a 25 Plant ID exam in Power Point. Both sections must be passed with 75% or better. Idaho Falls School District 91 and 93 and Mr. Chance Munns have developed with the INLA, a High School Nursery Certification Program where the students study 7 domains of the CNP Manual and take a 50 question written multiple choice exam and a 10 question Plant ID Exam in Power point. These students must pass with a 75% or better to earn their Horticultural Pre-Technical Certificate (TSA). This winter the first four students passed their exams. The Certified Nursery Professional Exam (CNP) is composed of 200 written multiple choice questions and a 50-question Plant ID exam, each worth 200 points. Each of the two sections of the test must be passed with a 75% or better to become certified. The INLA is pleased to be able to offer their certification program in so many different ways to increase professionalism in the Idaho nursery industry. By learning about nursery certification, students and professionals make themselves more marketable for jobs requiring all types of plant knowledge. This exam stresses the information that nursery employers would like to have their employees know for practical purposes and on the job knowledge. www.inlagrow.org Wondering if you have what it takes? Give it a try... July 27 -Boise • August 8 -Coeur d’Alene • January 24, 2013 -Boise Please visit www.inlagrow.org/certification for more information
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