CareerUP was a new add-on at Cultivate’17. This domain once carried its information page. This version is an independent summary built from published reports. There is nothing here to sign up for. For current programs, see AmericanHort’s Cultivate page.
What CareerUP was
Greenhouse Management described CareerUP as the first event of its kind from the AmericanHort GenNext community. It was a day-long workshop and inspiration series for young and emerging horticulture professionals, intended to give them skills, information and inspiration to advance their careers and grow the industry.1 The program was developed by Gen X and Millennial professionals in GenNext, together with members of the Emergent Facebook group.1
The organizers framed it as a response to workforce needs. AmericanHort CEO Ken Fisher spoke of “the serious need to develop young, skilled professionals.” The GenNext community coordinator, a retail manager at Dickman Farms, called young professionals “the lifeline of the industry.”1
The program
| Part | Who | What it covered |
|---|---|---|
| Morning workshop: “High Stakes Communication” | Nancy Fisher, The Ohio State University | Credibility, confidence and strategies for everything from sales calls to conflict resolution, aimed at win-win outcomes |
| Inspiration series | Bridget Behe, PhD, Michigan State University | Speaker |
| Inspiration series | Kelly Norris, Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden | Speaker |
| Inspiration series | Steve Black, Raemelton Farm and Nursery (2017 Nursery Management Grower of the Year) | Speaker |
| Inspiration series | Tyler Baras, Hort Americas / Dallas Grown | Speaker |
Program details are from Greenhouse Management’s pre-show report.1 Registration for CareerUP was combined with the main Cultivate’17 registration (see the registration note).1
How it went
In AmericanHort’s post-show wrap-up, carried by Garden Center magazine, nearly 150 young professionals attended CareerUP in its first year. The day was emceed by the GenNext community coordinator from Dickman Farms.2 CareerUP was one of eight add-on experiences at the show, along with three tours and workshops on biocontrols and succession planning.3
The Emergent honors were tied to the program. They were a new award for green-industry professionals under 35, with candidates picked by a Facebook algorithm based on their activity in the Emergent group. The two first winners, Lindsey Kerr of the Lord & Schryver Conservancy in Salem, Oregon, and Caleb Melchoir of P. Allen Smith & Associates in Little Rock, Arkansas, received an all-expense-paid trip to CareerUP and Cultivate’17 plus $250.4
Workforce came up across the show as well. In his Monday remarks, Ken Fisher listed workforce development and collaboration with FFA among AmericanHort’s priorities. Mark Sellew of Prides Corner Farms presented what 20 Millennial employees told him about team culture and wanting new challenges.5
Where horticulture careers lead
University horticulture departments list a wide range of jobs. North Carolina State University’s list includes landscape designer and contractor, golf course technician, grower, floral designer, nursery or greenhouse technician, arborist and urban forester. It also covers business roles such as product manager and garden writer, and research roles such as plant breeder and plant pathologist.6 Oregon State University sorts careers by study option: production, research, landscape and urban forestry, communication and therapeutic horticulture.7
Median annual pay from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025 data) for some related occupations:
- Grounds maintenance workers: $40,080. No formal credential is typically required.8
- Crop, nursery and greenhouse farmworkers and laborers: $35,6609
- Soil and plant scientists: $78,850. A bachelor’s degree is typically required.10
- Landscape architects: $79,870. A bachelor’s degree and a state license are required.11
Education routes
Routes into the field range from on-the-job training to graduate degrees. One example of a stepped path in Ohio: Ohio State ATI in Wooster offers an associate degree in Horticultural Science. It covers landscape plants, greenhouse production and turfgrass, and completes about half the requirements of a bachelor’s degree in Columbus, where a 10-week internship is required.12 Oregon State offers undergraduate options, an online general horticulture program, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees.7
Our fuller guide, Horticulture careers, has more occupations, pay and outlook figures.
Sources
- Greenhouse Management – AmericanHort CareerUP at Cultivate’17 from GenNext
- Garden Center – Cultivate’17 record numbers
- Garden Center – Cultivate continues to rise as top trade show and educational event
- Nursery Management – Emergent honors winners revealed
- Garden Center – Highlights from Cultivate’17
- NC State University – Horticultural Science careers
- Oregon State University – Careers in Horticulture
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook – Grounds Maintenance Workers
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook – Agricultural Workers
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook – Agricultural and Food Scientists
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook – Landscape Architects
- Ohio State ATI – Horticultural Science