Top university students likely don’t think of the fresh produce and floral industry as a career choice unless they grew up around agriculture – and that’s especially true for students in non-agriculture majors that are in high demand in today’s industry. To help prepare more students to begin successful careers in the industry, the Center for Growing Talent by PMA (CGTbyPMA) will host an Immersion Academy next month for 100 seniors studying diverse majors. The academy will be held Nov. 7-9 in Dallas, Texas.
“Immersion Academy will prepare university seniors in high-demand majors for careers in our industry, so that they start those careers being ‘Rooted to Succeed’,” said CGTbyPMA board chair Leonard Batti, Vice President of Business Development for Taylor Farms. “That sets up both the new hire and their employer to succeed.”
Immersion Academy’s “Rooted to Succeed” 3-day agenda will deliver an educational experience to qualified university seniors, to prepare them to start industry careers right after graduation. The program will also connect those students with industry leaders who can inspire, mentor and lead them to career opportunities.
"Immersion Academy will help students draw parallels between their major and our career opportunities, taking them beyond awareness to engagement and preparation," said Batti.
Immersion Academy expands on CGTbyPMA’s long record of successful Career Pathways student attraction programs. Created by Jay Pack and Produce Marketing Association, the original Pack Family Career Pathways program brought the first group of top students to that year’s Fresh Summit in 2004. Career Pathways has now grown into a family of 10 programs held in the United States and around the world. The program has had tremendous success. To date, 67 percent of Career Pathways participants began careers in our industry after they graduated, and 78 percent of them remain in the industry today.
“For more than 10 years, CGTbyPMA has been delivering on our mission to help our industry attract, develop and retain talent,” said CGTbyPMA Vice President, Talent Portfolio Alicia Calhoun. “We are our industry’s most trusted, go-to source for talent management solutions.”
Industry leaders who want to show their personal and company support for the industry priority of talent and give back to the industry can support CGTbyPMA with financial donations, volunteer time or both.
Contact:
Cassidy Taylor
PMA
Tel: +1 (302) 781-5852