Enriching Education: Seed Your Future

 Seed Your Future announced the launch of its expanded Horticulture Career Exploration Tool. Much more than a basic alphabetical list of the more than 140 careers working with plants, the resource first asks site visitors to consider what they are interested in, and then profiles careers in horticulture that might match their interests. This tool is the latest resource from Seed Your Future, a coalition of more than 200 partners — including horticulture companies, gardening organizations, schools, colleges, universities, public gardens, youth organizations, nonprofit organizations, and individual advocates — united in their mission to promote horticulture and careers working with plants.

Every career page includes a profile of the job, the level of training and education required, links to where to study in the U.S. and Canada, data about salaries, links to professional organizations supporting that career, and engaging videos of real people in each career. Designed to provide introductory information to each career across the art, science, technology, education, and business of horticulture, this expanded resource will continue to grow as more careers are featured, and more videos selected to help users understand the diverse and rewarding options of a career working with plants.

“Seed Your Future is committed to providing quality, reputable information about green-collar careers working with plants,” said Susan E. Yoder, executive director of Seed Your Future. “A ‘green-lining’ of the recent global pandemic has been the renewed interest in plants, with families growing their own food and flowers, purchasing houseplants, seeds, garden supplies, and spending their time improving the world around them. Showing students, parents, mid-career changers and educators that there are meaningful and rewarding careers working with plants is the next step to building the pipeline of talent in green-collar professions,” said Yoder. “Whether this resource introduces site visitors to a fulfilling career, or a lifelong passion, one thing is clear — the more we know about plants, the more we can make a difference in the world today."

Research identified the lack of detailed, centrally accessible information about the careers available in horticulture. Parents, teachers, guidance counselors, and youth all expressed the need for online resources to help them find out more about the careers available working with plants. “The site SeedYourFuture.org/careers serves as a digital hub for all horticulture-career information in a concise, easy to read format,” said Yoder. Future resources in development by Seed Your Future include a recruitment toolkit for horticulture and green-collar industry training and education programs, and industry promotional materials to open people’s eyes to the remarkable power of plants and the rewards of careers in the green-collar industry.

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About Seed Your Future

Seed Your Future is a national movement to promote horticulture and inspire people to pursue careers working with plants. Supported by more than 200 partner organizations, we envision a U.S. where everyone understands and values the importance of plants and the people who work in the art, science, technology, education and business of horticulture. For information, visit us at SeedYourFuture.org.