A Future in Agriculture: Employment Opportunities

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A Future in AgricultureEmployment Opportunities

• October 2008
• Dr. Chris Goedhart
• Agriculture Department, Dordt College

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Is There A Future in Agriculture?

• YES!
• Despite past, and current changes, agriculture
  will continue to demand trained individuals
• Local and national evidence shows the need for
  new employees
• Agriculture will require trained individuals who
  are willing to change with the industry
• Many positions will require post-high school
  education
• Positions will require continued on-the-job
  training and education
• Some positions will require having to move to
  areas where the opportunities are greatest

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Employment Trends in Agriculture

• National Trends
• Baby boomers leaving the work force
• Influence of biotechnology
• Aging of Farm Population
• Regional Trends
• Influence of ethanol industry
• Directly, hiring college graduates
• Indirectly, attracting workers from other
  industries requiring replacements
• 70 of regional farm chemical suppliers need
  custom applicators
• Opportunities for the mechanically inclined
• GPS and precision agriculture opportunities

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National Opportunities for College Graduates in
Food, Ag, and Nat. Resources

• Distribution of Opportunities
• Estimated Annual Demand
• http//www.agriculture.purdue.edu/USDA/careers/doc
  uments/USDA_05_Report.pdf

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Agricultural Employment OpportunitiesManagement
and Business Occupations
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Agricultural Employment Opportunities Scientific
and Engineering Occupations

• Allen Hubers, 2005 Ag Business/Plant Science
  Graduate, Pest Control Advisor/Agronomist, North
  Carolina
• Holly Vander Heidi, 2000 Animal Science Graduate,
  ISU Vet School Graduate, practicing veterinarian

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Agriculture and Forestry Production Occupations

• Donald Prosper, 2000 Plant Science graduate,
  currently head grower 12-acre greenhouse in
  Boyden, IA

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Education, Communication, Government Services
Occupations
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Employment Opportunities

• Most students are totally unaware of most
  employment opportunities in agriculture
• Find resources to educate yourself about
  available positions
• Decide on an area where you can make an impact
• What are the areas of need worldwide?
• Where can you go to find employment
  opportunities?
• Networking with friends, relatives, community
  members involved with agriculture
• Visiting potential employers and finding out
  about available opportunities
• Employment Agencies
• Web-based employment
• Agriculture specific websites

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Employment Opportunities

• Local and National Employment Agencies
• Preferred Partners, Sioux Center
• Great Plains Consulting, Inc.
• US-recruiters.com
• Web-based Employment Resources
• AgCareers.com current industry openings
  nationwide
• Agriculture Technology Information Network -
  www.ATINET.org
• Mainly West Coast positions
• Cal State Chico Career Planning and Placement
  Office
• Provides links to many agriculture job sites
• http//www.csuchico.edu/plc/agjob.html
• Iowa Jobs.com mainly entry level, laborer
  positions, high school/GED
• Visit the websites of specific companies of
  interest
• Farmland, Growmark, Pioneer, Land O Lakes,
  Monsanto, etc.
• Determine what skill sets, education, and
  experience the company is seeking in potential
  employees.

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Web-based Employment Resource Example
AgCareers.com

• Localize job search area
• Browse jobs in specific state

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Web-based Employment Resource Example
AgCareers.com

• Scroll through listings Iowa opportunities
  include
• Agronomy Manager
• Feed Operations Manager
• Custom Applicator
• Grain Operations Trainee
• Dairy Consulting and Nutrition Specialist
• Herdsman
• Feedlot Manager / Assistant
• Parlor Manager / Herdsman
• Sales Agronomist
• Swine Research Farm Manager
• (Jobs current as of 10/27/08 - http//www.agcareer
  s.com/state.cfm?s18)

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What Employers Want

• Training/Experience
• Education
• Job-specific and general
• Foreign language and cross-cultural skills
• Providing Flexibility
• Most individuals change careers, reassignments of
  responsibilities
• Competencies Skills
• Job-specific
• General competencies which transfer across
  positions
• Work Ethic/Desire
• Previous employment experiences
• Internships
• Recommendations
• Drug-free
• Most positions will require pre-employment drug
  screening

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What Employers WantSample High School Graduate

• Ranch Assistant -
• This Central Nebraska Ranch raises 1500 head
  cow/calf and backgrounds 1500 calves. Looking for
  a good right hand man with above average ranch
  background. Need to be able to fence, hay, and
  have good animal health experience. A.I. Ability
  a plus. There will be work on horseback, but not
  much. Must be able to handle routine maintenance
  and general repair. This position would really be
  considered a herdsman position even though this a
  commercial cattle operation but, from February 15
  through May 15 that's what the person will be
  doing, pretty much exclusively.

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What Employers WantCollege Graduates

• Sample Position 1
• Minimum Bachelor's Degree in Agronomy, Ag
  Business, Business, or similar area.
• Results orientated leadership capability.
• Communication skills including the capability to
  clearly present information, influence or
  persuade others through oral or written
  communications.
• Decision making and problem solving skills.
  Capability to take action in solving problems
  while exhibiting judgment and a realistic
  understanding of issues, even when dealing with
  emotional topics.
• Capability to work with people in such a manner
  as to build high morale and group commitments to
  goals and objectives.
• Sample Position 2 - Minimum Plant Science Degree
  Experience
• Nursery or greenhouse experience
• Understanding of plant breeding and genetics
• Ability to obtain a commercial applicators
  license
• Understanding of application of biotechnology to
  crop improvement
• Computer competent
• Ability to work and effectively communicate cross
  culturally
• Ability to work as a strong team member
• Excellent written and verbal communication
  skills.
• Organization and time management skills to handle
  multiple tasks and priorities

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Dordt GraduatesWhat do they do?

• Representative Positions
• Ag Loan Officer
• Ag Missionary
• Bank President
• Credit Analyst
• Commodities Broker
• Crop Production Specialist
• Custom Pesticide Applicator
• Dairy Manager
• Farmer
• Feedlot Manager
• Fertilizer Plant Manager
• Greenhouse Grower
• Greenhouse IPM Advisor
• Herdsman
• Livestock Production Specialist
• Poultry Processing Supervisor
• Rancher

• Employment Categories
• Recent graduating class
• 22 animal sciences
• 21 family farm/ranch/dairy
• 18 business/financial
• 17 agronomy
• 11 continuing education
• 11 other

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Dordt Ag GraduatesGraduate Schools and Work

• Representative Employers
• American State Bank
• Cargill AgHorizons
• Cenex Harvest States
• Central Vet
• Croplan Genetics
• De Jong Greenhouses
• Educational Concerns in Hunger Organization
• Farm Credit Services
• Farmland Industries
• FDA Center for Food Safety
• First National Bank
• Growmark
• Kent Feed
• Koppert Biological Systems
• Land OLakes
• Monsanto
• Natural Resources Cons. Services
• Peoples Bank

• Graduate Schools
• Free University, Amsterdam
• Iowa State University
• Kansas State University
• Michigan State
• Purdue University
• Texas Tech
• The Ohio State University
• University of Alberta
• University of California at Davis
• University of Guelph
• University of Minnesota
• University of Nebraska
• University of Wisconsin
• Washington State

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Conclusion and Questions

• Work Experience and Internships
• Get them!
• Education
• Questions?