If your company is seeking qualified college students who are passionate about the landscape industry, there is no better place to look than at the National Collegiate Landscape Competition, presented by NALP and powered by STIHL.
This event features more than 750 students from 55+ colleges and universities who are ready to start their careers. By participating in the industry career fair, you have the opportunity to connect with not only promising students but also faculty members who can help build out your talent pipeline.
The attendees at NCLC are career-driven and eager for growth, so make sure your booth is designed with these individuals in mind.
Core Booth Elements to Include
As you start planning with your team the overall booth design, make sure you have strong branding that will draw students in. Don’t underestimate the power of a cohesive look throughout the space.
If you have eye-catching projects or pictures that capture your core values, make sure these are front and center. Walk through your proposed booth design to gauge the flow and ensure it welcomes students and allows for multiple conversations at a time.
Create a clear flow for your space so students know where in the booth they should go to learn more about the company in general, internships or job opportunities. Call out the different things that set your company apart in multiple places within the booth.
Because many students are looking for internships or their first job out of college, your booth should have printed materials with straightforward career information. Utilize QR codes or sign-up sheets so you can capture interested students’ contact information and follow up with them after the event.
Having some form of interactive element to your booth can also draw students in, allowing you to have longer conversations with them. This could be anything from a friendship bracelet-making station to a mini plant ID quiz.
If you choose to provide swag, select items that tie into your company’s branding or are useful, such as work gloves or mini multi-tools. You can also opt to provide swag as a token of thanks to those who stop by and have a conversation, versus giving it out to anyone and everyone.
Most importantly, your booth needs to be staffed by friendly, engaged employees who want to be there. If you have employees who have competed in NCLC themselves, these are great representatives to have in your booth, as they can relate with the students even more and have authentic conversations.
Once you’ve selected your booth representatives, hone your elevator pitch so they feel comfortable telling students and faculty who you are, what you do and why students should consider you.
How to Make the Most of NCLC
You can start building brand awareness in advance by sharing on social media that you’ll be attending NCLC and reaching out to participating colleges in your area to see if they need any support preparing for the competitions. List your open positions ahead of time on your website, as students can view the list of exhibitors in advance and strategize which booths they plan to prioritize.
Have a clear recruiting strategy, so your team knows exactly what roles you’re looking to hire for and what qualities matter the most. Take advantage of the dedicated interview spaces offered during NCLC to conduct one-on-ones on site.
“If we meet a student that’s specifically looking for full-time employment, we will absolutely take the opportunity to use those interview spaces because we don’t want to let that wait,” says Jennifer Burnett, chief people officer for LandCare, based in Frederick, Maryland. “There’s competition there. We want the opportunity to talk with them and plant that seed really quickly.”
Also, don’t just limit yourself to interacting with students during the career fair. Observe and cheer on students at competitive events, chat with students in the halls or attend the new Career Development Networking Breakfast held on March 19 at 8 a.m.
Another key to success is to ensure you have a strong internship program in place, as many students want to explore the different career paths your company has to offer. Internships also allow you to determine if a student is truly a good fit.
Lastly, understand that participating in career fairs is an investment that requires attending year after year. When faculty members see your brand consistently, they will be more likely to send cultural fits to you, and student recognition of your company will increase as well.
“The students are going to be there for four years at best,” Burnett says. “The faculty, they’re going to be there for many years, and they’re going to know you. When you build relationships with them, and they see that they’re turning their students that they’ve poured their heart and souls into developing into your organization, and their careers are taking off, they’re going to want to continue to push the students that way. They’re most invested in the student’s success.”
Booth space is limited! Secure your space today for the NCLC Career Fair at Michigan State in East Lansing, Michigan, on March 18-21, 2026.
