Turf Mngmt, Horticulture, or Business Degree

[budrock]

By qualifying for NAFTA benefits, the Fed Govt. will pay (full ride) for retraining (2 years) and placement back into the workforce. The dilema I have is which course of study would benefit me the most. A.A.S in Turf Management, A.A.S in Horticulture and Landscaping, or A.A.S in Business. My wife and I started a legit lawn care business this year and I could use training in all 3 areas. I know experience is the best teacher but any opinions from someone knowledgeable in these programs would be much appreciated. Thanks for your time and input!

[Stephen M.]

The choices are all important ones and its like being between a very big rock and a very hard spot!! If time and money wasn't important, I chose 2 out of the three, with business as one of them. I would say that Hort and land-scraping (no mistake here) would be the next one since it would include turf. Turf would be more of an overview for sure, but you have a wider range of know how with the Hort/landscaping. That's just my thoughts for a penny.

[budrock]

Time is important as I only have 2 years to complete. Money is not that important during this time as the fed will also be paying me 400/week unemployment ins. (its my wife's business) Thanks for the advice.

[RRS]

I just completed my AAS in hort at the beginning of the season. The program I went through was geared strongly towards running a landscape maintenance business. It touched on aspects of turf and business as well as horticulture.

In my (somewhat biased) opinion I'd choose the hort program. After you complete it you can decided whether to pursue further training in a specialized field because it's very easy to transfer to a four year college as a Junior.

The quicker you do this, the quicker you'll have an advantage over much of your competion.

[RRS]

Just curious

What qualifications must one meet to receive NAFTA benefits?

[MOWANDGO]

what is NAFTA??

[RRS]

North American Free Trade Agreement

[Stephen M.]

How does one get into such a program under NAFTA? I doubt that some guy like me would qualify since I'm not woman, minority, or special needs.

[Elwood]

Most definately, go with the Business Degree!!

1) there are many ways to learn about Horticulture or Turf without going for the degree that will aid in y our success.

2) if you decide to leave the green industry at some point, your degree is wasted?? A business degree, you can take anywhere!


What is your background? Do you have time for a double major, hort. and business? Both would be very valuable, but if I could only choose ONE, I would choose business.

[Scaper-S2k]

Personally, I think the business classes are hands down the most important classes anyone should take. After all, first things first, you are going to be running a biz. Doesn't matter how good you are at scaping, if you can't run the core biz, you might as well go work for someone else.

There are tons of people out there that can do the work, we see them driving around everyday. But the reason so many don't last isn't because they can't do the work, it's because they have no clue how to run a company.

Getting the basics down will put you years ahead of the competition.

[Phil Nilsson]

Take the business courses ... focus on sales, advertising, marketing and above all else ... "people management"

Phil

[budrock]

There's tons of documents pertaining to NAFTA, TAA etc. They were all created to help those who've lost their permanent, full time job due to the signing and approval of NAFTA by every president since Reagan. Basically, if your job has moved to another country because of NAFTA (Remember Ross Perot's giant sucking sound that everyone made fun of) you qualify.

[budrock]

Elwood,
The window for receiving these benefits is only 2 years. I would be fully responsible for the next 2 so we'll have to wait and see. My background (21 years) is in Industrial Electrical Maintenance. Most all of our industy within resonable driving distance has moved to Mexico. And too, There's more electrical contractors in my area than Lco's. I could relocate but we're debt free and I kinda like it that way. Thanks everyone again for your help!

[Elwood]

Take as many business management courses as humanly possible.

Good Luck!!

[lorenzo piedra]

My pick would be computer science.

With all the middle class jobs (the last 600 of a workforce (unionized) that peaked at 2000 at a local tv picture tube plant was given pink slips) gone and with those displaced workers now wanting to cut grass you might want to rethink a move into the green industry based on your local supply and demand.

BTW the late great Sam Kinison said about people in Africa "If you are starving move to where the food is".

Besides all the good work is already in the hands of established companies and you will only get the throw away bottom of the barrel clients that a qualified professional will not even touch.