The Ultimate Guide to Onboarding New Pest Control Employees
Set Your Team Up for Success
Hiring a new technician is exciting—but let’s be honest, it’s also a big responsibility, not to mention costly. The first few weeks on the job set the tone for everything that follows. How a new employee represents your brand, follows safety protocols, and handles customers on the phone or in the field is critical to the success of a pest control company.
At Pest Pro University, we specialize in giving pest control companies the tools and structure to train new hires quickly, confidently, and consistently. Here’s a simple guide to building a training program that works—whether you’re a one-truck operation or managing multiple techs.
✅ Step 1: Start With the Fundamentals
New hires should begin with core pest control knowledge, even if they have field experience. Make sure they understand:
CORE Maual specifics and best practices
Personal Protective Equipment
IPM principles (Integrated Pest Management)
Pest Identification
General Pesticide Safety
Service Safety
Driver Safety
Teams & Communication
Customer Service
📘 Pro Tip: Pest Pro University’s “Service Technicians” course covers all of the topics in this post and more. It is a perfect starting point for day-one training.
🛠️ Step 2: Teach Tools, Products & Protocols
Once they know the why, it’s time to teach the how. New techs, and even your office staff, should be trained on:
Proper inspection techniques
Tech Tools & Equipment (sprayers, bait guns, dusters, etc.)
Labels & Product Knowledge
How to treat a Home
Application methods (crack-and-crevice, perimeter, baiting, etc.)
Contracts & Agreements
Caring for Your Vehicle & Equipment
Training them on specific workflow helps build consistency across your team.
💬 Step 3: Test Knowledge
Quizzes are a powerful tool for reinforcing learning—they help:
Identify knowledge gaps
Boost retention
Ensure key concepts truly stick.
All lessons in Pest Pro University are accompanied but quizzes specifically designed to test the knowledge of the topic.
Tip: Learning doesn’t stop at orientation. Keep the conversation going.
🤝 Step 4: Train Online then Pair With a Mentor
Nothing builds confidence like hands-on field training and we’ll be the first to tell you that you can’t learn everything online. However, bringing a new employee up to speed with the fundamentals expedites their training process so, when they do go out into the field, they are more familiar with the process, which saves time and money. Training online first then assigning new techs to ride along with a seasoned team member helps:
Expedite their training process
Recall what they’ve learned instead of learning from scratch in the field
Save you time and money
Even better—Pest Pro University has built-in analytics tracking so you can monitor their progress along the way.
🚀 Step 5: Invest in Ongoing Education - it’s required!
Your employees represent your company every day—keep sharpening their skills! Offering continued training can:
Improves safety and compliance – Regular training reinforces proper PPE use, label adherence, and legal requirements.
Boosts professionalism and customer trust – Well-trained techs provide better service, communicate clearly, and build client confidence.
Reduces callbacks and costly mistakes – Skilled employees solve problems efficiently the first time, saving time and money.
Supports employee growth and retention – Investing in your team shows you care, which boosts morale and reduces turnover.
Help with state licensing – States require a certain amount of ongoing training in the form or CEU or recertification training.
Pest Pro University is approved in many states across the country and can help your employees stay on top of licensing requirements. Your team can access professional training anytime, from any device, keeping them sharp and your business protected.
Final Word
Your team is your biggest asset. Training them well from day one doesn’t just reduce callbacks or compliance risks—it helps build a team that’s confident, capable, and proud to wear your logo.
Ready to upgrade your training?
**Always follow local, state, and federal laws when applying pest control products. Use proper personal protective equipment (PPE) and strictly adhere to all product label instructions—the label is the law.