GROW Program Attends Congress 2023
By Amanda Laszcz, GROW Workforce Development Program Manager
The GROW Program had an exciting experience at Landscape Ontario's Congress event, which took place from January 9th-12th 2023. For many of our staff, it was their very first industry event, and what an event it was!
Congress brought together industry professionals from across the country to learn about the latest trends, products, and services in the landscaping and horticulture industry. The size and scale of the event were impressive. Thanks to the hard work of Landscape Ontario’s Congress Team the event was well-organized making for a truly memorable experience for all.
As you may have noticed, Landscape Ontario’s Workforce Development department had two booths at Congress this year. This gave us the opportunity to showcase GROW Program as well as the Horticultural Technician 441C Apprenticeship Program, Landscape.jobs and Landscape Ontario’s Professional Development Seminar Series.
Our GROW team had a chance to connect and reconnect with past participants and employers in-person! Each day of Congress was jam-packed with positive interactions that left each of us inspired. The event also provided many knowledge-sharing opportunities for our team and the attendees. The spirit of openness among colleagues from all corners of the industry was truly electric. Our team loved the chance to learn more about the profession and connect with professionals who are passionate about their work!
On Wednesday, January 11th, we hosted a GROW Program Meet-up networking event. Past and present participants across all programs had the opportunity to network, interview for jobs and grab a coffee. The energy at the event was buzzing! The positive atmosphere made it easy to spark up great conversations with faces new and old and explore opportunities to GROW your landscape and horticulture careers! Thank you to everyone who helped make the event a huge success.
Congress was both exhilarating and exhausting (thank goodness for comfortable shoes), but we loved every minute of it. We’re already counting down the days until next year!
For those who have never been to congress before, the good news is, the next one is less than a year away! Congress returns next year on January 9,10, and 11, 2024 at the Toronto Congress Centre.
Save the date in your calendars and don’t miss your chance to experience Ontario’s premier industry event for yourself.
