The Evolving Fresh Produce Industry Invests in Young Talent

The Center for Growing Talent by PMA (CGT by PMA) hosted their first Immersion Academy, “Rooted to Succeed,” this week in Dallas, Texas. Over 100 university seniors studying a variety of majors, from marketing to engineering to food safety, attended the two-day event and conference. The Immersion Academy is CGTbyPMA’s latest initiative supporting its mission to attract, retain, and develop young talent in the industry.

The program’s agenda connected students with an educational experience led by industry leaders who can inspire, mentor, and prepare them to start industry careers after graduation.

Our CEO Bruce Taylor kicked off the event with a presentation called, “Changing the World”, where he explained the impact, importance, and complexity of career opportunities in the produce and floral industry.

“Bruce educated the students on the produce and floral industry, but he also tapped into their desire to make a difference in the world by challenging them with questions like, What could be more impactful and rewarding than feeding the world with healthy foods?” said Leonard Batti, VP of Business Development, Taylor Farms and Chairman, CGTbyPMA. “Several students mentioned that having the opportunity to hear from industry leaders first hand, working in segments of the business specific to their major, has made the produce and floral industry their career choice upon graduation.”

The Immersion Academy helps draw parallels between a student’s college majors and the careers available in agriculture, highlight the industry’s need for new skills from new leaders, and showcase the exciting opportunities available for a diverse range of majors. Taylor Farms is happy to have been a part of it!

Learn more about how this program invests in young talent here.