by Larry D. Vinkemulder

For the last twenty-three years I have been employed by the Broward County School Board, as a High School Vocational Teacher, specifically in the area of Horticulture. Most of my experience has been with students that have disabilities ranging from minor to moderate and a very few, severe. Represented are disabilities in learning abilities, some mental, emotional, and some physical.

This is not to imply that they are limited in any way as to what they can achieve, some are now earning more as adults, than I have ever made.

Problem:

During this period of time I have been constantly made aware that students in general have either an unbalanced idea of what to expect or no idea at all. For a period of time, specifically 1991-1997 I was able to informally survey students as to what they expected upon entrance into the Horticulture industry. Consistently their answer was that most of them expected to leave school and immediately enter the job market at between fifty thousand and seventy five thousand dollars a year. They believed that their duties would be very minimal, in fact they could not fathom that they would have to work at all, and that they would be sitting in an air-conditioned office all day.

Much of this misconception was given to them inadvertently, by their parents, and by the High Schools that they attended. While I'm sure that no parent and no school actually told them these things, this was how students observed and interpreted the answers they received to their questions, as well as observations of their parents' lives, and open ended promises and threats, bringing the students to these presuppositions.

Remarks such as, "you cannot succeed without a High School diploma," came to students' minds; a High School diploma is the answer to all of your financial concerns.

A parent who had worked for twenty years to be able to slow down a little, and had demonstrated some success in life, could sometimes be a parent in a high-income bracket with little or few functions at work..

And questions about students' future answered with, "you have no future without a High School diploma," probably became a ticket to financial security.

Finding an answer:

I have since been slowly changing my style of teaching, to include employment and employability skills, including such things as a realistic look at what to expect, e.g., " What you can really expect to encounter when you are constantly late or absent from work?"  And things such as honesty, pride, ambition and goal setting also need to be taught.

A survey was sent out to students and members of industry for this report and was designed to get feedback on the items of interest listed above from both sides, thus enabling me to update my materials and also helping me to see how effective I have been so far.

I believe that we can make things better, that students can be given a realistic outlook as to what to expect, and we can do it without discouraging them. Yes, I believe Pollyanna can survive, and even smile in a world that doesn't always seem fair.

The results in:

Wages:

The results showed major improvements in the most important area, what to expect as a realistic wage. 49.8% percent of the students seemed to feel they would make between 6.80 and 10.00 dollars per hour upon completion of High School and Tech school.

This was quite interesting because 75% of the employers said their starting pay was between 7.25 and 10.00 per hour.

Approximately 33% of the students said they would expect less than 6.25 dollars an hour where as the lowest reported pay offered by the employers was between 7.00 and 7.25 dollars an hour.

It was intriguing to see that none even suggested an astronomical starting salary, although there were 16% of the students that felt they should negotiate their salary. This may be a warning of things to come.

Benefits:

Insurance:

The area of benefits was something that students apparently still do not take very seriously, even though most mentioned that it would be nice to know they were receiving some form of benefits, few sought any where near what employers offered.

75% of the employers offered health insurance for the employee compared with 33% of the students who hadn't even considered the possibility of asking for it.

Students across the board agreed that there should be a life insurance policy on them paid for by the company. In slight contrast only 75% of the employers felt that this was agreeable, and some said their company policy stated they would pay only 1/2 (half).

Retirement:

75% of the companies represented offered a partial or full retirement pension program.

In contrast to 49.8% of the students who felt this was something they should be offered.

I did not find this surprising considering their age, their status and the fact that they still have between twenty-five and thirty years to worry about such things.

Investments:

Students on the other hand seem to be slightly more aware of investments for the future and 33.2% felt that companies should make some form of arrangement for 401K's or something similar.

Only 25% of employers responded with any form of investment programs available.

This is an area that I probably could learn more from my students on, they are definitely more investment minded than I.

Seminars & Education:

In combining the attitudes of students and employers in the areas of seminars and furthering education, it turns out that students are less likely to be concerned with advancing their knowledge, and education. And when asked about this, the response was standard, they were just getting out of school and felt that maybe in a few years they may want to continue. In fact only 16% - 35% of students were interested at all, regardless of whether they had to pay or their employers paid for the cost of their education.

Whereas 100% of the employers were willing to work with new employees either in assistance or to help pay for the cost of furthering education to advance the new employees, only 50-75% felt that this was something they should do. They were also willing to work with them in rescheduling so as to allow for seminars and furthering education.

Vacations & Holidays:

An area that students seemed to have no idea of what or how to discuss was vacations. This would seem appropriate considering that they have had automatic three (3) months off for the last twelve years.

Most employers offered from 7-14 days off for the first one to five years of employment and from 2 weeks to 4 weeks off after five years of continuous employment.

Employers are also far more generous than students expected. 50% of the employers surveyed will give between 13-17 holidays a year, while the other 50% give up to 6 holidays and some double pay holidays.

Of the students that answered this section only 33% thought they should have between 2-5 holidays a year. The remainder didn't respond because they have never had to think about it before. When asked they responded with, the school always said how many, and what days we have off.

Special Needs Awareness:

Before I begin this section I feel it is important to note that even though many students with exceptionalities or disabilities do not like to admit this, and in fact would rather try to hide it. I feel that I need to point out that this is not so much unlike our society today, where we still have an exceptionally high illiteracy level, and yet we seldom see it, because people hide it.

Students would prefer to tough out a situation, and try to handle it on their own rather than admit they have a problem and sometimes need help.

Without exception all employers felt they should be made aware of special needs or problems and that they would do whatever was reasonable to help with those needs.

16% - 32% of the students felt that they would and should share their need with their employer. 32% also said they would rather provide for any help they need on their own.

The same 32% felt that the company should assume responsibility for any special training that other employees need to receive to be prepared to deal with their exceptionality.

The remainder though felt they would not say a word, unless asked, and that this problem would only affect them at school.

During Interviews:

75% of the employers felt that even if they knew about any special needs of interviewees, the interview would still be conducted in the same manner. That the same questions would be asked, and the same answers would be sought.

25% said there may a slight difference, but minimal.

1/3 (one third) or 33% of the students felt that there would be a difference if the interviewer knew of their exceptionality, but the remaining 2/3 (two thirds) or 66% believed there would be no difference.

Goals:

66.4 % of the students stated that even if the goals that were set were for everyone else and seemed high they would still apply, and still try to achieve the expected goals.

50% of the employers said the same level of goals would be set for all employees.

50% said that if they knew of a specific problem the goal might be adjusted but not necessarily lowered.

Students and employers both seemed to be looking for a working relationship on the job. Students are looking for leadership, knowledge, and help with goals Whereas employers are looking for employees to hire who want to learn, are willing to follow and develop goals, plus are willing to be honest, loyal, and show pride in their work.

Honesty, punctuality, attendance, and respect;

Students and employers separate widely here. 66% of the students found punctuality and attendance as less than of major importance. In fact only 33.2 percent thought that it was extremely important.

Approximately 75% of the employers stated that punctuality and attendance are of extreme importance.

Honesty was one of the most important issues and one that all participants from the industry side were in agreement on. 100% said that honesty was extremely important, that they had to be able to trust their employees.

50% of the students felt that honesty was extremely important and the other 50% felt that as long as their employer was honest with them, they would be honest also.

100% of the employers felt that manners and respect are extremely important, whereas only 16% of the students feel manners and respect are important.

Conclusion:

Whereas I have seen many changes and improvements in the young people's attitudes about work, and their expectations over the last few years, there is still much to be done.

We have entered into a never-ending battle against all that we try to do as educators, that will continue to try and defray all that we attempt. From our own government and its leaders, who teach that truth is only the way you interpret it, and that there is no absolute truth, to a society that says we are in the twenty-first century, and things like honesty, respect, goal setting, and all of those things that employers want to see in their employees are dead.

Things are not all doom and gloom though; we have seen students' change in their way of thinking to realize that nobody owes them anything. They are starting to realize that all they will have, will have to be worked for. The fantasy world of untold riches, with no work required is not only dead hopefully it will remain buried.

But even more important to me was the ability to see that industry is rising to and exceeding the needs of the people to become a challenging and competitive part of society. People are beginning to realize that Turf, and Landscape and many other areas of Horticulture require specialized training, and they are ready to start paying for it.

Yes we still have a ways to go, and with the help of new attitudes in the school systems, new attitudes in the homes and new attitudes in the young people entering into the job market, things will get better. Pollyanna lives, and she does it in the Horticulture industry.

References:

Due to legal responsibility of Atlantic Technical Center, and Broward County School Board, no students names will be released in this report. All surveys and information from students and industrial representatives are on file and can be documented, upon request. All requests will be honored except for the release of student names and names of people in industry which have requested that their names and or the names of their companies or representative employers be kept anonymous.

Special thanks to the students of the Turf and Landscape programs for their support and cooperation.

Mr. Thomas Curran
City of Pompano Beach
1190 NE 3rd Avenue
Pompano Beach, FL  33060

Mr. Jeff Taylor
Boca Pointe Country Club
7144 Boca Pointe Drive
Boca Raton, FL  33433

Anonymous
Broward School Board

Jason Bruno
Atlantic Technical Center
4700 Coconut Creek Parkway
Coconut Creek, FL  33063

Landscape superintendent

Special thanks once again to those that asked not to be mentioned.