At Cultivate’25, the horticulture industry’s largest trade show, a group of high school and college students walked away with more than swag bags — they left with a clearer picture of what a career in the green industry could look like.
Through a special guided tour hosted by Seed Your Future, students from Ohio high schools and Texas A&M University explored the trade show floor, met with exhibitors, and networked with professionals across the floral and horticulture supply chain. The initiative was part of Seed Your Future’s broader mission to close the awareness gap between students and the wide range of plant- and flower-based careers available today.
“Many students and educators aren’t aware that the horticulture industry offers well-paying, innovative, and in-demand careers,” said Jazmin Albarran, Executive Director of Seed Your Future. “We’re working to change that by creating experiences that open their eyes to the possibilities.”
Attracting young, curious talent to the industry is key to building a sustainable, skilled workforce, contends Albarran. By engaging students early, “programs like this help reinforce the industry’s relevance — and the diversity of opportunities within it,” she says, from floral design and breeding to automation, tech, and supply chain logistics.
During the visit, students got a firsthand look at how various parts of the industry connect: soil and plant media, propagation, production, container and floral design, and distribution. Along the way, they had informal Q&As with company leaders and industry advocates who support Seed Your Future’s mission of cultivating a diverse pipeline of green-collar professionals.
The experience wasn’t just about technical exposure. Students also had the chance to build soft skills, practice networking, and ask questions — tools essential for entering any profession. Educators gained fresh insights and ideas to bring back to the classroom, continuing the connection between education and industry beyond the trade show floor.
“We believe exposure is the first step to engagement,” Albarran said. “If students can see it, they can imagine themselves in it.”
The tour was just the latest initiative by Seed Your Future. In June, the organization held its second Seed to Stem, an immersive professional development program that brought high school teachers to Chicago where they spent four days touring horticultural businesses, engaging with industry leaders, and developing classroom-ready lesson plans — which get uploaded to a national database for teachers nationwide to use.
Highlights included visits to Ball Horticultural Company, Kennicott Brothers, and Midwest Groundcovers, as well as hands-on sessions in floristry and horticultural therapy.
“Teachers left with a deeper understanding of how plant science connects to careers in innovation, logistics, sustainability, and wellness,” Albarran says, “and with the tools to inspire their students to explore the full breadth of horticulture’s potential.”
Amanda Jedlinsky is the senior director of content and communications for the Society of American Florists.
