There has been a great deal of comment recently regarding Trade Associations, and the need for them – or not! I have been a keen member of several ‘associations’ for most of my career, and feel that many commentators miss one of the major points of belonging, both as an individual and as a company.
The point may be summarised as career development.
We all start off small, and some people want to remain sole traders, quite happy to make a living working in gardens without the hassle of employing others. They start off building a firm which maintains a number of gardens – a ‘round’ – carrying out both general gardening works and the occasional landscape project as and when required.
Some companies grow organically, taking on one part timer, then two, then one full timer and so on. As these individuals become ‘firms’ they may feel the need to want to expand both in size and in knowledge, but also in the public (and Trade) perception of their companies. They will take on bigger and more complex projects, yet feel isolated, wishing to discuss problems and techniques with others in the industry.
This is where associations such as The Association of Professional Landscapers (mainly domestic with some commercial) and The British Association of Landscape Industries (mainly commercial with some domestic) come into their own.
BUSINESS PLANS
Membership of these trade bodies becomes a major part of their Business Plans. For INDIVIDUALS there is the opportunity to join The Gardeners Guild, as this is primarily aimed at self employed persons working solo or with a couple of helpers.
As your career develops, and your skills levels rise, you may consider applying to join the Institute of Horticulture earning the letters designate AIHort, MIHort of FIHort.
As a designer, The Society of Garden Designers would be the next natural step, becoming an MSGD or FSGD after due trial and examination.
MOST IMPORTANTLY – and the point I would emphasise most strongly, is the impact that membership of these bodies can have on your work force, especially if you join after they have started working for you. By definition, they are now employed by a firm that has enough confidence in their own ability to welcome the assessment process by which membership is gained. Even more so, if you keep them up to speed with developments, and they appreciate the hoops you have to go through to gain acceptance.
If the Trade Association you choose to apply to for your company is one that holds Annual Industry Awards – for practical purposes this includes the APL, BALI and, since 2012, the SGD who all hold these events at which winning companies are presented with their awards at a prestigious venue, with customers, proprietors/directors/managers and very importantly, the team responsible for the scheme all in attendance. (Plus, of course, the Press!)
The tremendous confidence boost gained by the staff members should never be underestimated. They now work for an award winning team, and they are the winners! (When I started the APL, and it was decided very early on to hold an Awards event as soon as possible – in fact only two years after formation thanks to the very high calibre of Members – it was proposed that the individual members of the award winning construction team should receive their own, personal copy of the award for their own portfolio. I think this idea was somewhat ‘lost’ over the years, but could easily be reinstated).
Similarly, Awards are made for the Young Achiever Of The Year (APL) and BALI operates schemes at which Students and Young Landscapers (my words) are invited to show their skills. These are all fantastic opportunities for Landscape Companies to enhance their status within the industry and, I repeat, MOST IMPORTANTLY – provide a breeding ground for future generations of skilled and talented workforce, proud to be MEMBERS OF A TRADE ASSOCIATION.
Trade Associations are by far the best method of networking and building up your contacts within the industry. They open so many doors, to so much knowledge and information it is impossible to overstate their importance, but like everything else in this world, you only get out what you put in!