The knowledge of managers, supervisors and employees is very important in an independent garden center. Many clients bring in samples and questions that require solutions to various aspects of their yards and gardens, making it important to train all employees from entry level to upper management.

All training for Osuna employees takes place within business hours and they are paid to attend. Participation in training programs and events is counted favorably in annual employee evaluations, which helps with advancement within the company. Employee training in the off season is  . . .

most beneficial to all. We bring in vendors for product knowledge. We do a lot of cross training in each department. This expands the employees’ knowledge to different departments such as bedding to natives and trees to customer service. We are also able at this time to do more one-on-one training. Managers spend more time with supervisors who pass information on to employees.

We have successfully organized weekly classes in the spring and sometimes in the fall at our nursery for seven years. Called Osuna University, classes are taught by professionals from different aspects of the industry. Instructors come from a variety of organizations, including the African Violet Club, Rose Society, Bonsai Club, and Community Gardening. We invite the public to attend as well, which allows our nursery and its employees to support and learn about a variety of different types of gardening.

All employees have full access to a small library of books in the administration offices and internet access. Osuna also provides current garden magazines in the break room for the employees to keep up with the current changing trends.

Osuna Nursery offers full support to two people a year, advancing their knowledge and education in the industry through programs like CNGA’s New Mexico Certified Nursery Professional and the New Mexico Department of Agriculture’s pest control certification. We encourage and support employees to participate in green industry conferences and seminars like the Think Trees annual urban tree care conference.

This investment in professional development by our company has many shared benefits for all who come in contact with our employees. With fall and winter filled with educational programs and training, our employees are eager and ready to share all they have learned with our customers and new hires.

About the Author: Ramona Carrillo is the Retail Operations Manager for Osuna Nursery in Albuquerque, N.M.