T
raining and development are among the top factors
millennials use to rank the attractiveness of a job or company as a place to work. And 46 percent of employees
say their company's training courses make them more likely to stay.
It's no secret that pest management is an ever-evolving field. The rules, regulations and best practices are constantly changing, and it seems new technologies and innovations emerge every day. As a result, ongoing training is particularly important for pest management businesses.
In this day and age, pest management professional technicians are no longer "exterminators," but true professionals. Gone are the days of the 'baseboard jockey' who was programmed to make pesticide applications along every available baseboard, regardless of whether or not there were even pests present. Present day technicians are professionals who are required to have extensive knowledge on everything from pests, to pesticide applications and equipment, to laws and regulations, in order to perform their services safely and effectively.
We try to stay up to date by going to all training on a local, state, and national level which includes the NCPMA PCT School, spring and fall workshops, NPMA Pestworld and wildlife expo.
We are also a member of Quality Pro which has some great training in their toolbox.
We try to at least have one meeting a week to discuss changes in our industry or just stay current in the areas we have already done in the past.
Getting manufacturers and suppliers to come in and train is also a very
great way to keep up with new products.
As this industry continues to shift and evolve, we as pest management companies cannot afford to view employee training as box to check. If businesses want to survive and thrive, they must fully incorporate training and development into their company culture. In the pest management industry, we must become life-long learners. The industry is always evolving, and staying abreast of changes to technology, inspection and application techniques and equipment is a necessity. Building a culture of learning today is helping to train for success in the future.
