HANCEVILLE — A group of North Alabama high school students traded in bulls for Bobcats this week during the Green Industry Equipment Rodeo.

The event is a part of the Alabama Nursery and Landscape Association’s growing efforts to address member complaints around current labor shortages. The group’s executive director, Russell Wood, said after the success of last year’s single event in Pell City, the group has expanded this year’s event — both in frequency and geography — by holding five events throughout the state.

The event, hosted by Wallace State Community College Thursday, Sept. 28, welcomed high school FFA students from West Point, Brewer, Phil Campbell, Clements as well as a number of WSCC horticulture students. Wood said he targeted FFA programs give students the opportunity to operate heavy equipment they otherwise would not have access to.

“A lot of these kids don’t have access to these kinds of machines at home. Not many dads or granddads has all of this stuff and they don’t have them at schools. This just lets the kids learn. We let them get on it and see if they think it’s cool and let them know about career opportunities and education opportunities,” Wood said.

Students tried their hands at a variety of heavy equipment, from mini-excavators and skid steers, to tractors and zero turn lawnmowers. Golden buckles were awarded, but more importantly, students were able to take home a newfound knowledge of the vast array of career opportunities available within the landscaping and horticulture industry.

Wood said opportunities ranged from construction to retail and even those coming from a more artistic background were able to find success in landscape design, which he described as “painting with plants.”

“Inside work isn’t for everybody. Certainly it’s nice to be in a climate controlled environment, but some people can feel trapped and they want to be outside in nature, they want to feel the sun on their skin and feel the breeze. There’s a lot of psychological benefits to working with plants that are good for you and these are careers that let you do that. I don’t want them to think all landscaping is pulling weeds and shoveling dirt all day. That is part of it, but there is also this side of it,” Wood said.

Wood said students who may not pursue a future in landscaping would be able to benefit from the event. “Some jobs they may apply for might ask if they have had any experience operating heavy equipment. Well, now they can say they have.”

On hand to offer assistance in further preparing students to enter the workforce, was Sandie Dutton representing the Alabama Community College System. Dutton works as the northern region workforce coordinator for the ACCS Innovation Center, which offers non-credit training requested by employers for the state’s most in-demand careers.

Dutton said heavy equipment operation is consistently one of the most requested programs and the Innovation Center has already been partnering with employers to certify existing workers. However, the group has recently begun working to expand the program to high school students.

“Our goal is to rapidly train people and get them out and employable,” Dutton said.

Wood said he would like to see the event become an official FFA competition, but his ultimate goal was to expose students to future careers they may not have previously considered.

“Right now, we’re just trying to get their hands dirty and their boots muddy and get them some experience on this equipment, whether they work in the green industry or not,” he said.