Calabasas, Calif. – ValleyCrest Landscape Cos. was selected as one of the best companies in the nation for training by Training magazine.

The 2011 Training Top 125 winners were honored at a black-tie gala awards event in San Diego. In its first year entering the recognition program, ValleyCrest earned a ranking of No. 118 and is the only landscape services firm named on the list.

The annual ranking recognizes organizations with operations across the world for outstanding employer-sponsored workforce training and development. ValleyCrest training leaders joined other 2011 winners from across all industries including such companies as Farmers Insurance, Verizon, U.S. Navy, Microsoft and FedEx Express.
 
“This is an incredible honor for ValleyCrest, most especially the ValleyCrest training team. Our employees have always appreciated our commitment to training and it’s nice to know others outside our company are recognizing that commitment as well,” said Mark Lenahan, director of training & development at ValleyCrest.

“We are extremely pleased to be selected for this honor,” said Parke Kallenberg, vice president of training at ValleyCrest Landscape Maintenance. “We have always believed that properly training employees results in improved productivity, enhanced job quality and higher job satisfaction. Being selected for this award validates that we are on the right road in regards to employee training and development.”

The Top 125 includes ranking based on myriad benchmarking statistics including: total training budget, percentage of payroll, number of training hours per employee program, goals, evaluation, measurement, and workplace surveys, hours of training per employee annually and detailed formal programs. The ranking is determined by assessing a range of qualitative and quantitative factors including financial investment in employee development, the scope of development programs and how closely such development efforts are linked to business goals and objectives.

Companies that wish to be considered for Top 125 ranking complete a detailed application, which is scored both quantitatively by an outside research and statistical data company and qualitatively by Training magazine editors and Top 10 Hall of Fame representatives. The data is evaluated and compiled into a list by Training magazine.