Employment Readiness
How to Become an Irrigation Specialist
If you’re working to build a steadier future and want a hands-on career that offers reliable weekly pay and long-term opportunities, becoming an irrigation specialist could be the right next step. This role is essential in landscaping and agriculture, allowing you to use your work ethic, problem-solving skills, and attention to detail every day. From designing water systems to installing and testing them on job sites, you’ll develop valuable technical skills that can lead to consistent assignments or even permanent full-time work.
Are you thinking about getting a job as an irrigation specialist? Here’s everything you need to know.
What is an Irrigation Specialist?
Whether you’re watering a lawn or acres of crops, irrigation specialists are needed to complete this landscaping job. They are the skilled workers behind these types of water systems. It’s a great career choice because it gives day laborers a chance to transition from daily gigs to multi-week job assignments that pay well.
An Irrigation Specialist's Work Life
The job of an irrigation specialist can be broken down into two major parts:
Design
Irrigation specialists may design water systems for places like farms, golf courses, and housing developments. They meet with clients to discuss the project, using their knowledge of different irrigation systems and how they work. Then they visit the site to take measurements, locate the main water supply, and mark existing water pumping equipment like sprinkler heads. Irrigation specialists check water meters and water pressure. Once they’ve collected all the information they need, they put together a design for the irrigation system using computer software. The result is the blueprint workers will use in the installation process. These designs have valuable information like pipe sizes, irrigation zones, where to install equipment, and the materials needed to install the system.
Installation
Another major part of an irrigation specialist’s job is to install watering systems. It starts with ordering parts and equipment such as sprinklers, valves, pipes, and water controls. Then the ground needs to be prepared for the irrigation piping and equipment that needs to be installed. Connecting the water supply, installing pipes, running sprinkler wires, and flushing lines are just a few of the tasks that go into putting together an irrigation system. Following the design, an irrigation specialist may do the actual installation work or oversee a team of general laborers on the job site. These landscape specialists are also responsible for making sure the irrigation system is installed according to the design plans, doesn’t go over budget, and is completed by the project deadline. Irrigation specialists may also have to test the systems to make sure they’re working efficiently and troubleshoot any problems that may come up.
Why Use a Staffing Agency to Become an Irrigation Specialist
Working with a staffing agency with contacts in the landscaping industry makes it easy to get hired. They work with commercial businesses in your city who are already looking for irrigation specialists, shortening your time to get a job. If you’re ready to take all the skills you've learned during your weekly assignments and launch into a career as an irrigation specialist a staffing agency be the bridge to help you get there.
An Irrigation Specialist Requirements
There are a couple of ways to get started as an irrigation specialist. Some hiring managers may prefer candidates who have formal training. You may need to get a certificate or a two-year degree where you learned the basics of design and irrigation installation. The Irrigation Association, for example, offers resources and courses to get certified in this landscaping career. Other landscaping jobs may allow you to learn on the job, performing entry-level tasks such as fixing valves or sprinkler heads. Regardless of the path you take, utilize your weekly job assignments to develop skills such as attention to detail.
