Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
Major
Horticulture
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Dava Hayden
Presentation Format
Oral Presentation
Abstract/Description
When it comes to post-secondary education, less than half of Americans hold a college degree. While certain industries don’t necessarily need college-level education, they can still have a lot to learn beyond hands-on education and training. Horticulture, for example, can have a large knowledge gap from people with a secondary education only. Oftentimes, a certificate in a field of work can significantly improve knowledge in the workforce without such an extreme time or cost expense. This study investigates whether there is a potential interest in training certifications within the Horticulture Industry. Specifically, this research was conducted to determine if Horticulture businesses would be interested in investing in having their employees and/or managers become certified in various aspects of horticulture through Murray State University. Employers and managers were given the opportunity to fill out a survey to determine background information and answer some important questions relevant to the research. Nineteen total participants filled out the survey and gave their input on whether a horticultural training certificate was desired and how much they might be willing to invest to be trained through Murray State University.
Spring Scholars Week 2026
Honors College Senior Thesis Presentations
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Interest in Training Certifications Within the Horticulture Industry
When it comes to post-secondary education, less than half of Americans hold a college degree. While certain industries don’t necessarily need college-level education, they can still have a lot to learn beyond hands-on education and training. Horticulture, for example, can have a large knowledge gap from people with a secondary education only. Oftentimes, a certificate in a field of work can significantly improve knowledge in the workforce without such an extreme time or cost expense. This study investigates whether there is a potential interest in training certifications within the Horticulture Industry. Specifically, this research was conducted to determine if Horticulture businesses would be interested in investing in having their employees and/or managers become certified in various aspects of horticulture through Murray State University. Employers and managers were given the opportunity to fill out a survey to determine background information and answer some important questions relevant to the research. Nineteen total participants filled out the survey and gave their input on whether a horticultural training certificate was desired and how much they might be willing to invest to be trained through Murray State University.