Job Fair at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden Showcases Career Opportunities in Horticulture
CINCINNATI, OH (July 24, 2024) – Groundwork Ohio River Valley Green Team high school students got the opportunity to learn more about careers in horticulture last week at a job fair hosted by Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. About 150 Groundwork youth employees that have been working for the past two months around Cincinnati doing environmental restoration, ornamental horticulture, urban agriculture, and invasive plant removal attended the event.
“The career fair exposes the youth employees to various potential employers and career paths in horticulture, a field that they may not have considered before,” said Scott Beuerlein, Cincinnati Zoo’s manager of Botanical Garden outreach. “Horticulture goes way beyond digging holes! There’s a lot of science, and craft, and art that goes into doing it well, and that opens a lot of possibilities for these kids.”
Groundwork ORV staff helped the attendees prepare their resumes and practice communication skills prior to the fair so they could make the most of being in front of potential employers. They also distributed this booklet with tips for success and sample interview questions to think about.
“This is a chance for them to take that little bit of experience working in horticulture that they’ve had this summer and see if there’s a career that matches their interests,” said Sierra Hayden, director of Groundwork ORV’s green team. “It’s also a great opportunity to talk, to sell themselves and see what the future could look like for them within the environmental realm.”
Vendors present to interact with the students included:
- Cincinnati Park Board
- Great Parks of Hamilton County
- Civic Garden Center of Cincinnati
- Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
- Groundworks
- Boone County Arboretum
- OSU Extension, Hamilton County
- UK Extension, Campbell County
- UC-DAAP
- Cincinnati State
- Stride Studios
- Green City Resources
- Wimberg Landscaping
- Terrace Park Country Club
Feedback from the post-event vendor survey indicated that 100% would “prioritize hiring Groundwork green workforce employees”!
The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Learn more about the gardens that you can see on your visit here. To explore volunteer and career opportunities in the Zoo’s horticulture department, visit Job Opportunities | Cincinnati Zoo.

