The National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) announced that, beginning January 1, 2020, the Landscape Industry-Certified Technician-Exterior test will be available online, enabling anyone to access it from anywhere. This is the only one of the seven Landscape Industry-Certified designations that doesn’t offer online testing.
Currently, the Landscape Industry-Certified Technician-Exterior test is given via a written and hands-on testing that is delivered by 15 state licensee partners. The test is not available in the other 35 states, making it expensive and difficult for every landscape professional to get a Technician-Exterior certification.
After extensive review, a panel of experts deemed it necessary to remove the barriers to access and make the testing readily available to everyone.
With the change, the hands-on and written tests, which are currently administered in 15 states, will be available until December 31, 2019, but after that time, testing will be administered through the NALP using an interactive and secure online platform.
The new online test will adhere to the same rigorous standards and will be based on the same material as the current hands-on and written test.
“We want to thank all the states who have hosted the hands-on test over the years, which is very labor-intensive to execute, and congratulate everyone who has become certified through this method,” said Sabeena Hickman, NALP CEO. “Now advances in technology enable us to remove barriers and allow anyone, regardless of their location, to pursue their certification.”
NALP will partner with state and affiliated organizations to promote the Landscape Industry-Certified Technician-Exterior testing.
People currently pursuing Landscape Industry-Certified Technician-Exterior testing should contact the state association they are working with and should complete the testing by December 31, 2019. After that date, they can take the online test through NALP.
