BLOOM! campaign aims to target the younger generation

As younger generations enter the workforce, they’re apt to look for organizations that are dynamic, with unique personalities providing real-time feedback.

Many will apply to state-of-the-art technology organizations, which tend to adopt many of the same standards younger generations crave, leaving tried-and-true fields scrambling for new talent.

One of those fields is horticulture – the timeless, respected and necessary art of garden cultivation and management.

According to an article in Greenhouse Management Magazine, research has shown that the average American can easily recognize some 1,000 brand names and logos, but fewer than ten local plants.

“Plant blindness,” as they now call it, is prominent in America’s youth – with the majority of that group never having heard of the word “horticulture” or what it means to their everyday lives.

With more and more growers looking to retire from the business, it’s expected that some 58,000 horticulture jobs will become available over the next five years. Yet with declining enrollment in both horticulture training and education programs, only 61% are expected to be filled.

“Horticulture impacts everything from the air we breathe, to the food we eat, to the beautiful landscapes and floral arrangements we enjoy, but few outside the industry make this critical connection,” says Susan E. Yoder, Executive Director of Seed Your Future.

Susan and her team are out to inspire the next generation of leaders to enter the horticulture industry with their new BLOOM! campaign.

The campaign features a “Find Your Plant Power” quiz with surprising facts and opportunities to marry a wide variety of personal interests with the horticulture industry. Plus, lesson plans and learning models for teachers and parents to utilize both inside and outside the classroom.

Anna Ball, President and CEO of Ball Horticultural Company, says, “This campaign is all about opening young people’s eyes to the incredible power of plants to change the world. Horticulturists today are already wielding that power to great effect, but there is much more work to be done.”

To learn more about this exciting campaign and how you can get involved, visit https://www.wearebloom.org.