NALP Puts an End to the Hands-On LICT Certification test as of December 31, 2019!

NALP PUTS AN END TO THE HANDS-ON LICT CERTIFICATION TEST

NALP (National Association of Landscape Professionals) has announced that as of December 31, 2019, no organization may offer its hands-on Landscape Industry Certified Exterior exam. The hands-on LICT test will be ‘absorbed’ into a brand new written-only test that will be taken on a computer. The new test will be developed by Buck Chaffee, a testing expert/psychometrician. Any test candidate that has not completed his or her certification by April 30, 2019, will need to complete the new written-only test to become certified through NALP. As of May, 2018, I have not heard from or about any other State or Canadian Province that is in favor of this new test.

The Certification Committee in Hawaii is strongly in favor of maintaining a meaningful landscape certification program and test that includes a hands-on component. NALP has informed us that “The hands -on portion of the exam will end on December 31, 2019. Per the licensee agreement, no part of the current Landscape Industry Certified Exam may be replicated in any way for any new exam or program.” That means that Hawaii needs to start from ground zero and develop a test that does not replicate the current LICT/NALP test.

LICH is strongly committed to training and certifying Hawaii landscapers and maintaining our strong relationship with agencies like the Hawaii State Department of Transportation and others who require certified landscapers for contract bids.  People who are NALP Certified by the end of 2019 will be guaranteed certification under the new Hawaii Certification Program.