Internship Survey – Seed Your Future Research

Welcome to the Horticultural Internship Project!

Internships are a great way for students to students to gain critical experience in their fields, explore various jobs prior to graduation, develop their professional networks, and hone their job search skills. Internships help industry and other employers find excellent employees and support the training of industry professionals. For faculty and colleges and universities, internships help students learn complex professional skills and are considered to be one of the most important, if not THE most important high-impact practices offered.

This project will help us determine barriers that students might have to completing an internship and determine what information students, faculty, administrators and employers need to increase participation in internships.

The information will be used to create the following resources:
• Best Practices Guide for Creating and Managing Horticultural Internships
• Best Practices Guide for Faculty and Departments to Manage Horticultural Internship Programs
• Hints and Guidelines for Landing The Dream Horticultural Internship (for students)

There a five separate surveys, find the one that best fits your group and complete it today!

• Current student
• Alumni
• Faculty/staff
• Departmental administrators
• Industry employers

Please be assured that all information submitted will be confidential and only averages of the data will be
released.

Internship Survey for Industry and Other Employers
Internships are a great way for businesses to evaluate potential employees, provide labor during peak seasons and
support the next generation of horticulturists. In return, internships help students learn many crucial skills that are
difficult to teach and are much easier to learn through experience. In addition, internships are vital in helping our
students gain a broad understanding of the importance and complexity of horticultural science and make
meaningful lifelong connections.
The first page of the survey will be used to sort the data and provide meaningful reports (see below for definitions
of horticultural industries). Please be assured that all information submitted will be confidential and only
averages of the data will be released.

Thank you for your time on behalf of the horticultural industry. The survey can be found HERE.

Definitions of horticultural industries (adapted from USDA and Seed Your Future)

Nursery is the production, handling and sales of woody trees, shrubs and vines, including fruit trees and Christmas trees. May include herbaceous perennial plants.
Landscape and interiorscape horticulture involves the design, installation, and maintenance of both outdoor and indoor environments.
Public garden/public horticulture involves the design and maintenance of arboreta, public gardens, parks, and athletic facilities.
Turfgrass is the production, handling and sales of grasses for lawns, public gardens, athletic fields, golf courses, roadsides, etc.
Green infrastructure/Environmental horticulture

Fruit product/wholesale, including small fruit, tree fruits, grapes, tropical fruits, etc. Vegetable production/wholesale, both in the field and/or greenhouse
Herb, medicinal plants, spices production/wholesale, both in the field and/or greenhouse
Hemp/cannabis production/wholesale, both in the field and/or greenhouse
Culinary horticultureinvolves the intersection of edible plants and food preparation and service.

Horticultural supplies/services, including products/supplies, equipment, import/export, trucking, etc.
Horticultural marketing
Horticultural consulting/writing
Horticultural therapy involves the use of horticultural plants to improve the condition of people with physical, intellectual or emotional disabilities. Horticultural therapy also includes the use of plants in hospitals and other medical facilities to ease the pain and suffering of patients.