Green Career Summit 2025: Empowering Kentucky’s Next Generation of Environmental Leaders

On Monday, December 1, Jefferson County high school students from Brown, Grace James, Iroquois, and Shawnee gathered at the University of Louisville for the 2025 Green Career Summit, hosted by the Kentucky Association for Environmental Education in partnership with the University of Louisville. The event brought together students and professionals from a variety of green industries for a day of exploration and hands-on learning about Kentucky’s growing green career landscape.

Throughout the day, students traveled between career stations, each one offering a window into a different green career opportunity. Some discovered what a water quality technician does. Others learned how conservation biologists protect wildlife or how engineers solve environmental challenges in our communities. Across the room, students peppered mentors with questions, participated in activities related to various careers, and heard firsthand what it means to work in these jobs.

Students had the chance to meet and learn from an incredible group of mentors representing a wide range of careers: Louisville Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD), Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana, Forestry Works, The Berry Center, Mountain Association, Louisville Waste Management, Kentucky Watershed Watch, Louisville Zoo, Lexington Parks & Recreation, Sierra Club/Explore Kentucky, Stantec Engineering, Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources, and Jefferson County Public Schools. Their expertise and enthusiasm helped students imagine new possibilities for their future.

The goal of the summit was simple but powerful: to broaden students’ understanding of green careers and help them see themselves in roles that support a healthier, more sustainable Kentucky. Thanks to funding from the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program, participation was completely free for schools, ensuring any student, regardless of background, could attend. Additional support from the University of Louisville’s Student Sustainability Coalition, Sustainability Council, and School of Nursing helped make the day possible.

By the end of the summit, countless students walked away with new questions, new possibilities, and the confidence that a “green career” is not just an abstract idea but an exciting, attainable future.

KAEE is grateful to every mentor, educator, volunteer, and student who helped make the 2025 Green Career Summit a day of connection, exploration, and hope for a more sustainable future. We look forward to growing this program and continuing to open doors for Kentucky’s next generation of environmental leaders.