June 2020 - 8

INDUSTRY NEWS
from americanhort to you
Tips for a Successful Horticultural Internship
BY HOLLY SCOGGINS, DIRECTOR
OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING,
AMERICANHORT
A good portion of my academic career
has been spent advising horticulture
undergraduates in both coursework and
internship/career options. With far more
internship opportunities than students to fill
them, competition among businesses and
institutions can be fierce.
Following are some tips for those new to
creating an internship program, struggling to
find sufficient applicants, or dissatisfied with
the internship experience.
The best and brightest students plan
ahead. Decisions regarding the following
summer are being made in the fall. Internships
advertised over final exams, the winter
holidays or spring will receive fewer quality
applicants. Students in two-year programs
usually take one " middle summer. " Motivated
four-year (often five-year) students will take
advantage of multiple internships.
Think beyond the three-month option.
Obviously for grower and retail positions, the
heat of the battle is in spring. Unfortunately,
most students aren't available until May - and
then only for 12 weeks (unless graduating).
However, if an amazing opportunity presents
itself, the student may be willing to forego one
semester in addition to summer.
Or perhaps a student is graduating in
December but prefers an internship experience
to a job commitment. Be sure the benefits
of the longer-term internship outweigh the
financial burdens of an additional year of
college expenses incurred.
Seek out academic advisors and
office administrators in horticulture and
related departments to help distribute the
announcement on student listservs and/or
websites. In addition to the usual listserv, most
colleges and universities have career centers
that maintain job and internship banks and
host career fairs or other events.
Does your internship description speak to
Gen Z? Emphasize experiential learning and
that they will have the opportunity to make
a difference. Help the internship stand out by
highlighting sustainable practices, collaborative
company culture, investment in technology, etc.
Keep the announcement focused and
upbeat. Describe in a few bullet points what
the student will learn, experience, gain, etc. Do
not deploy a laundry list of skills required or
tasks to be performed; those kinds of details
can be conveyed in a follow-up message or
conversation when things get serious.
Provide a diverse but well-organized
program. If at all possible, allow the
student to work with as many facets of your
organization as reasonable. Rotating through
the organization with spending a week or two
in propagation, growing, sales, design build,
whatever you've got. Students are comfortable
with a syllabus format - outline specific start
and end dates for each segment, and describe
topics and experiences, along with the point
person for that facet.
The search for housing can be
intimidating. Many students default to
hometown internships (which can be few and
far between in some parts of the county) and
miss out on life-changing opportunities. It's
also an additional expense, so the student
may be already paying rent for an unused
apartment. Offering a housing option could
really widen your pool of applicants.
Offer a professional development/
learning opportunity beyond the day-to-day
responsibilities. This can be as simple as a
field trip to a business in another part of the
supply chain. For example, if the internship is
with a finishing grower, visit cultivar trials, a
young plant grower, a fantastic retailer, a public
garden, or even a local or regional symposium
or conference.
Good things can indeed come to an end.
Though internships can certainly serve as a
pipeline for future employees, there does not
have to be an open position waiting at the end
of it all. Be upfront about the situation, and it
won't be an issue.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
FOR THE MICHIGAN
GARDEN PLANT TOUR
The 17th annual Michigan
Garden Plant Tour offers
commercial growers, landscapers,
public garden employees, and
other industry professionals the
opportunity to learn about new
and existing plant selections from
the major breeding companies
and to better understand how
they perform in different outdoor
settings. This year, the tour runs
from July 27 to Aug. 7.
This year, attendees will
experience:
8 JUNE 2020 GPNMAG.COM
Mast Young Plants
Raker-Roberta's Trial Gardens
http://www.GPNMAG.COM
June 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of June 2020
