When Chris Drummond , AAF , PFCI , talking with flower store , wholesalers , and flush growers , everyone lists labor in their top three challenges " without exception , " he says .

" And we ’re not going to fix the labor deficit in our industriousness unless we all become very proactive in finding solutions to the problem , " says Drummond , president of Penny ’s by Plaza Flowers in Philadelphia and SAF ’s Immediate Past President .

Drummond and other floral and horticulture professional person from well-nigh 70 businesses seized the opportunity to be proactive by participating in Seed Your time to come ’s Green Career Week , February 27 to March 3 . The first step got professional in classrooms and scholarly person in concern and created a bombination on social medium — all in an campaign to showcase and cultivate an interest in green careers .

The initiative Green Career Week look at position last dip , with two slated for this year . Last week ’s event targeted high schoolers , while the next one , Oct. 2 - 6 , will target college students . ' Seed Your future tense ' executive director Jazmin Albaran say that the event is gaining traction , not just in the number of participant but also in the media . She was featured in eight radio interviews last week , one of which was aired nationally .

" It is so of import that pupil know about the careers offered in horticulture and flower gardening because we ask to ease the labor challenge in our industries with smart , tech - savvy workers , " Albaran says . " The response to Green Career Week from participants , students , and even the media has been wonderful . "

sow Your Future provides professionals with everything they need to participate in Green Career Week , include sample travel plan for shoal visit , activities , photo release forms , wardrobe expiration , a societal media toolkit , and more .

Building ConnectionsDrummond believes Green Career Week is a vital room to civilise the next coevals of industry professionals .

For his part , Drummond spoke to 20 students at The U School in Philadelphia , a vocational school with a section that focuses on careers in agribusiness , horticulture , and food service . During his two - hr visit , Drummond babble with gamy school junior and senior about the different type of careers they can pursue , as well as the exciting technical advances that have made people more efficient in these roles . To wrap up the presentation , Drummond had students design a vase of rose and take their creations home .

Not only did his visit moderate to many questions , but Drummond says several students expressed an interest in mentorship and line of work opportunities . He plans to work with the school day and other local company to create workplace experiences for those student .

produce these types of experience can go a long way toward bury former life history talent into the industriousness — and it does n’t have to cease with students on the high schooltime level .

For college scholar Olivia Vardy , a creative marketing interne at Details Flowers Software , get the chance to participate in Green Career Week has reinforce her positive experience at the fellowship .

" In the two month I have been at Details , my knowledge about the floral industry has already amplify vastly , " Vardy say . " It ’s been fascinating ascertain about all of the chance within the floriculture and horticulture industry . The people are awesome , and it truly feel like one big community . "

During Green Career Week , Details enter in an Instagram coup d’etat , in which the caller posted a stove of subject that include an office turn , a behind - the - scenes glimpse at hebdomadal meetings , and interviews with the chief operating officer . In improver , Details send videos highlighting interns ' experience at the company and what they have learned about the industriousness .

" I would have never guessed that I would be spending my senior twelvemonth of university interning for a floral computer software party in the merchandising department , " says Vardy . " Over 15 years of Department of Education and not once did I learn about the opportunities in this industriousness . "

That ’s why enterprisingness such as Green Career Week are so important to recruiting young talent to the diligence .

" There are some really nerveless , rewarding careers in the unripened diligence that are all about the future and sustainability and applied science , " Drummond says . " And those are things that kids get excited about now . They want to form in a job that ’s very rewarding , that on a very personal level , they feel like they ’re doing something good for the surroundings and something safe for companionship . "

Source : safnow.org

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