Landscape contracting

Penn State University (PSU) describes landscape contracting as "constructing, establishing, and maintaining landscapes from small residential projects to large commercial and industrial projects, as well as producing plans for small-scale residential and commercial sites. Students develop skills in construction, site design, plant material usage, plant establishment, and landscape maintenance. Students are also educated in areas such as graphics, surveying, soils, turfgrass management, weed and pest management, and in business operations."

Landscape contracting is a four year program that provides students with the means to work in many fields of the landscape industry, from running a successful business to bringing an existing company into the 21st century with the addition of computer-aided drafting and other landscape design software. Within the landscape contracting major at Penn State, students are educated in areas such as horticulture, landscape design, business, computer-aided drafting, project estimation, landscape establishment, and much more, placing landscape contracting students at the head of the industry upon entry level landscape professional.

Penn State Landscape contracting students are sought after by the biggest names in the industry, and with good reason, because Penn State strives to provide the best education possible to its students. Being a relatively new major to Penn State, fifteen years, it has been able to advance with the times, and build a program that touches on every aspect of the landscape field.

The success of the Landscape Contracting major is the result of a dedicated staff of professionals that bring experience, knowledge, and innovative thinking to their students through their curriculum, ability to work with students individually, and shared love for the landscape industry.

"A wide variety of opportunities exist for landscape contracting graduates. They may be employed by design/build firms, landscape management firms, nurseries, or garden centers. Others may choose to work for municipalities, golf courses, parks, or botanical gardens." (Penn State University) However, opportunities exist beyond these examples in areas like landscape software consulting, which is becoming more and more popular as companies adapt to the 21st century and start to rely on computers as an essential part of there business, graduate studies, for those who wish to further their knowledge, and teaching, because without dedicated professional who love to teach landscaping this program would not exist.

External links

* [http://landscape.psu.edu Landscape Contracting info for Penn State University]
* [http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/library/Landscaping_Equipment_Safety.htm Safety for the Landscaping and Horticultural Services Industry]