EQT Foundation Expands Green Career Awareness in Appalachian Schools

Seed Your Future (SYF), a national nonprofit dedicated to inspiring the next generation to explore careers in horticulture, announced it has received a grant from EQT Foundation to expand its Green Career Week career awareness program across Pennsylvania and West Virginia in fall 2026.

The $7,500 grant will fund outreach to more than 50 schools and 25 horticulture employers across the Appalachian region, with the goal of engaging more than 1,000 students through facility tours, classroom presentations and hands-on career exploration experiences. At least 30 educators and 15 horticulture businesses are expected to participate.

Green Career Week is SYF's biannual national event that connects students directly with local employers in the green industry. Since launching in 2022, the program has reached more than 15,000 students and 200 employers nationwide. The Appalachian expansion builds on momentum. In January 2026, SYF engaged more than 800 students at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Career Fair in Harrisburg, where a consistent theme emerged: Students are drawn to working with plants but unaware of the many career pathways available to them.

Nationally, only 61% of annual job openings in food, agriculture and natural resources are filled, reflecting a persistent talent gap that career awareness programming is uniquely positioned to address. In Appalachia, where employer-school connections in the green industry remain limited, this work is especially critical.

"EQT Foundation's investment in workforce development aligns closely with what Green Career Week is designed to do, not just create awareness but build the connections between students and employers that lead to real career pathways," said Albarran. "We're excited to deepen our presence in this region and work alongside other EQT-funded organizations to strengthen the ecosystem of opportunity for young people here."

Educators in the region are already benefiting. Three Pennsylvania horticulture teachers and one Ohio horticulture teacher participated in SYF's Seed to STEM professional development program this summer, equipping them to bring horticulture career conversations into their classrooms. All four will participate in Green Career Week this fall.

To learn more about Green Career Week or Seed Your Future's mission to promote careers working with plants, visit www.seedyourfuture.org/green-career-week.