Even after their schools were dismissed from FNGLA’s Career Day program, dozens of students chose to stay behind, wandering the trade show floor to meet more industry professionals, ask questions, and discover career paths they hadn’t known existed. It was the clearest sign yet of the impact Seed Your Future and the Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association (FNGLA) hoped to make when they partnered to bring students into The Landscape Show in Orlando on August 21.
More than 250 students attended FNGLA’s Career Day overall, and 42 high school students and nine educators were selected for Seed Your Future’s guided exhibitor tours. Led by industry professionals, the tours gave students a closer, hands-on look at the businesses and career paths that power the green industry. A total of 48 exhibitors volunteered to host the students at their booths, a sign of just how eager the industry is to introduce the next generation to its opportunities.
“I am so excited for the Seed Your Future partnership with FNGLA. The idea of working together and focusing the efforts to help bring people to horticulture is much needed! I love how everyone can see every facet of the industry by attending The Landscape Show,” said Jennifer Parrish, president of FNGLA. “From seedlings to trees, to the tractors that dig the trees, to the financing someone may need! It is a wonderful way for people to see the full scope of our industry and how we all use our passion for plants in different ways.”
Students visited exhibitors representing growers, landscape suppliers, turf distributors, greenhouse designers, equipment manufacturers, tree care companies, and more, experiencing firsthand just how many career paths exist within horticulture.
The momentum continues this fall with Green Career Week, October 5-9, 2026, a national Seed Your Future initiative that connects students with the people and businesses behind careers in the green industry.
During Green Career Week, industry businesses can host local high school students for field trips and behind-the-scenes experiences or visit classrooms to introduce students to career paths, internships, and other opportunities within the industry.
Companies and industry professionals interested in participating in Green Career Week can contact Courtney Dyal at Courtney@gardenmediagroup.com for more information.