Workforce Development Overview

NPMA began its Workforce Development Program in late 2020 to raise public awareness of the great career opportunities in the pest control industry. With essential support from member companies, we have developed strategies to increase awareness and create interest in pest control careers among job seekers, including specific targeting of veterans, students, older adults, women, and people from historically underrepresented groups.

As we look toward the future, we will build on our success, broadening our reach to engage more people in a rewarding career in pest management.

Our Strategies Grow Your Talent Pipeline.

Meaningful Partnerships: Collaborating for Success

NPMA recognized that fostering meaningful partnerships with like-minded organizations and stakeholders would be integral to the success of the Workforce Development Program. The partnerships we have established support the delivery of internship programs, mentorship opportunities and train-to-hire professional development for audiences NPMA would not be able to reach on its own.  We are prepared to offer a clear career pathway with a supportive network of mentors and industry professionals guiding them along the way.

DoD SkillBridge Program and Partnership: Service members apply to participate in a training program the last 180 days of their service with a participating employer with the end goal of gaining skills and ultimately a job when they separate from the service. Benefits to the employer include a talent pipeline and no obligations to provide salary or benefits during the training period.

This program will roll out to NPMA members in early 2024 with a focus on recruitment for the Pest Control Service Technician role.

DoD Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP): Amplifies exposure to qualified talent for positions. NPMA is collaborating with MSEP to connect candidates to NPMA members.

MANRRS (Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences): US based national organization that promotes academic and professional advancement by empowering minorities in agriculture, natural resources, and related sciences in high school, college and in the workforce.

NPMA and MANRRS have expanded their agreement to continue offering Pest World student attendee scholarships and provide internship, education, and networking opportunities through NPMA and its member companies.

Online Media Campaigns: Harnessing the Power of Digital Platforms

Embracing the digital age, NPMA recognized the potential of online media campaigns as a powerful tool to reach a broader audience of potential candidates. By leveraging various social media platforms, search engine optimization techniques, and engaging content, the NPMA Workforce Development initiative has significantly increased the industry's visibility among qualified job seekers and drive qualified traffic to our public-facing website www.PestControlJobs.com.

More people are finding our website. In October 2023, website traffic for PestControlJobs.com exceeded all past measurements since its debut in late 2020. Traffic increased 50% compared to January 2022 and 60% compared to 2021 and 2020 combined.

Our social media and paid advertising efforts are working. Combined with our SEO strategy and partnership with ZipRecruiter, social media is a definite driver of visitors to our job postings and information.

There is significant interest in our Military Veterans Program. Our Military Veterans page was the most viewed page and where visitors spent the most time.

People are looking for jobs. Since its debut in October 2020, PestControlJobs.com has hosted 35,928 jobs, resulting in 17,895 applicants.

Exterminator is once again ranked among U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 Best Jobs in the Maintenance and Repair Jobs category, marking the second consecutive year for this distinction.

Salary matters. “How Much Do Exterminators Make?” is the most visited article, underscoring the need for hiring companies to include salary information in job postings and resources. We will continue to encourage publishing salary information.

Real people attract candidates. Our Careers in Action spotlights continue to perform among the best posts that drive traffic to PestControlJobs.com. The “real-life” look into a career in pest control is content views want to see.

NPMA Member Workforce Development eNewsletter: We are continuing to promote and provide recruitment and retention ‘news you can use’ to our members.