The Gardens Career Pathway Program is an Education Department initiative designed to provide teens access to a variety of experiences that allows them explore careers in horticulture.  Under the purview of our newly created Career Program Specialist, our six branches of outreach and programming will have a unified and directed approach, more effectively helping students define their interests and passions. 

Program Impact 

• Career Outreach 

• Gardens' staff travel to schools during career days to talk about careers at botanic gardens. 

• Junior Hort 

•  A forthcoming division of Project Hort specifically for incoming 6th graders.  This particular age group is entering an important developmental time of their lives between grade school and middle school and this program will help bridge that divide.  Junior Hort will be able to host 10 students per summer.  

• Paid Internship Program  

• Up to 12 interns per year are hired between Horticulture, Events, Marketing and Education.  Each intern works 280 hours per semester and earns $15.50 per hour.  Paying interns ensures we’re able to attract talent from across all economic strata, not just those who can afford to work for free. 

• Project Hort  

• Existing program for kids in grades 7–12.  Project Hort supports 20 students per summer.  More information can be found at www.fcgov.com/gardens/teens. Every participant receives a small stipend.  

• Service-Learning Career Field Trips  

• Single-day field trips run through school districts.  Students are given tours of The Gardens that include the history of the organization, a breakdown of the types of jobs available at an organization like The Gardens and are given a group task to complete.  

• Xello  

• Posting and coordinating work-based learning opportunities (job shadows, internships, volunteer opportunities) for students in the Poudre, Thompson, Estes Park, Weld RE-5J and Weld RE-4 School Districts.