Sep 16, 2025

Seed Your Future leads initiatives for horticulture careers

Seed Your Future is expanding its efforts to connect students with plant-focused careers through a series of national initiatives.

The nonprofit hosted its National Leadership Meeting Sept. 16 to 18 at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. The event brought together high school educators, university leaders and industry professionals to address workforce challenges, with a focus on boosting enrollment in post-secondary horticulture programs. The theme, “Strengthening the Pipeline: From Interest to Enrollment,” highlighted the need to align education with industry demands as a large portion of the workforce nears retirement.

“This meeting wass about alignment,” said Seed Your Future executive director Jazmin Albarran. “High school teachers know what sparks curiosity, universities understand academic readiness and industry leaders see where the workforce gaps are.”

Key sessions featured presentations from leading horticulture programs, Seed to STEM educators and collaborative discussions with industry leaders including Bailey Nurseries, Ball Horticultural Company, Dümmen Orange, Syngenta Flowers and The Society of American Florists.

The group is also preparing for Green Career Week, scheduled for Oct. 6 to 10, a national initiative encouraging businesses to host field trips or presentations to showcase career paths in the green industry. Seed Your Future further advanced its outreach this summer with a presentation at the FarWest Conference in Portland, Oregon, and visits to Bailey Nurseries and Oregon Flowers, which highlighted sustainability practices and career opportunities.

Together, these efforts aim to inspire the next generation of horticulture professionals and strengthen the future workforce pipeline.