Workforce Development Workshop

This week, The Garden Club Project hosted an inspiring Workforce Development Workshop at COSI, and it was one of our most powerful sessions yet. As part of our Urban Farm STEM Program, our teens explored four essential skills every young professional and future changemaker needs to thrive: attendance, appearance, attitude, and ambition. These aren't just workplace expectations, they're life skills that shape strong leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs in today’s fast-growing STEM and sustainability industries.

Attendance: Showing Up for Your Future

We kicked things off with a conversation about one of the most important success habits: showing up consistently. Whether you're growing mushrooms, tending a garden, preparing for a STEM career, or leading community change, your commitment is everything.

Our teens shared how improving attendance...both at school and at the farm has helped them stay focused, build discipline, and take responsibility for their goals.

Appearance: Representing Yourself with Pride

We talked about personal presentation, not just in terms of clothing but in the way you communicate your values. As urban farmers and future STEM leaders, our teens take pride in looking and feeling prepared.

We discussed everything from maintaining clean uniforms to dressing appropriately when presenting to community partners, colleges, or future employers. Appearance is a form of professional branding, and our teens are learning to make every first impression powerful.

Attitude: The Secret Ingredient to Success

Attitude affects everything...from how you solve problems to how you work with others. We explored real scenarios from the farm and our community garden projects where positivity, resilience, and teamwork turned challenges into opportunities.

Our teens reflected on how a growth mindset helps them thrive in STEM fields, especially when experiments fail, crops struggle, or tasks get tough. Their takeaways were inspiring: choose positivity, stay curious, and be ready to learn.

Ambition: Dream Big, Start Now

This was everyone’s favorite topic. Ambition is at the heart of The Garden Club Project. It’s the spark that pushes a young person to create a business, launch a project, or advocate for change.

At COSI, teens mapped out their future goals whether they want to become environmental scientists, farmers, engineers, entrepreneurs, or community leaders. They also connected those dreams back to their daily actions at the farm and in school.

🌾 Why Workforce Development Matters in Urban Agriculture

Our Urban Farm STEM Program is about more than growing food...it's about growing confidence, leadership, and career readiness. Programs like this help young people build the soft skills AND STEM skills needed for the fast-growing fields of:

• sustainable agriculture

• environmental science

• urban farming

• ag-tech

• food systems innovation

• green workforce careers

These are some of the most in-demand career pathways for the next generation—and our teens are already stepping into them.

We are grateful for your support, which allows us to continue programs like this!!