Agriculture Industry in Need of Future Employees!

Published on Mon, 08/12/2019 - 3:25pm

 Agriculture Industry in Need of Future Employees!

 While agriculture is a multi-billion-dollar industry that directly affects everyone in the world each day, employers still struggle to find qualified candidates that are enthusiastic about the industry and need. Projections indicate that there will be more jobs available in ag and food systems, renewable energy, and the environment than there are qualified graduates to fill them over the next several years.  The agriculture job market is booming because of the simple economics of supply and demand. If you are a high school student or their parent and are beginning to consider your career path; you should really give agriculture a look.  Consider the following points as you think through a potential career in agricultural:

The World Population is Increasing. By 2050 the world’s population is projected to hit 9 billion people. To be able to feed and clothe the world, the population will naturally rely on agriculture. This will require a need for new technology, creative minds, strong work ethic and college graduates that are ready to embrace the challenge and provide impact to this constantly changing industry.
New Generation of Agriculture. Baby boomers have provided the primary fulfillment of agricultural leadership roles, but this group of individuals have begun to retire in ever-increasing numbers thus providing for increasing job vacancy across the agriculture job specter. Employers are and will continue to experience difficulty in finding the talent needed for these positions and USDA studies indicate many of these employer’s primary focus will be to recruit college graduates to fill these leadership roles.  This includes employment opportunities in the USDA!

Job Diversity
Over the last 20 years, agriculture job fields have expanded greatly, with this wide diversity providing college graduates a wide variety of careers to choose from. Today employment opportunities exist in production, economics, marketing, agribusiness, technology, sales, finance, microbiology, communications, and many more.  
Shortage of College Graduates in Agriculture. Currently there just are not enough students enrolled in agricultural related programs of study to fill the demand of the employment market.  

Industry Growth
Since the industry is growing at such a fast pace, there is high demand for qualified job seekers in every aspect of agriculture. The U.S. Department of Labor projects continued significant growth in selected food, renewable energy, and environmental jobs from now and throughout the foreseeable future. College and universities have greatly increased their recruiting platforms to attract incoming high school graduates.

Technology Advancements
Agricultural technologies are constantly evolving to help improve productivity. New technology, requires the knowledge and research provided by today’s top agriculture colleges and university programs. Technological advances in agriculture will continue to drive research and advancement in a multitude of industries creating new employment opportunities and challenges.
Increased Compensation Opportunity. To remain competitive and to secure the best talent in the industry, agriculture employers have consistently increased beginning salaries to college graduates. Additionally, many agriculture employers are offering highly attractive benefit packages to entice new and retain current employees. Qualified talented employees are experiencing career advancement at a quicker pace than prior generations employed in similar fields.

Personal Reward
Working in an agricultural related field can provide for a fulfilling career. You get the peace of mind knowing that you are making a positive impact on those around you. People that have careers in agriculture are passionate about what they do and want to see the industry be successful and prosperous. It’s rewarding to know that by working in an ag-related career, you are making a difference. The agriculture industry has a founded reputation of being a sector that provides for great networking opportunities that can allow for lasting connections with others in your field.
We believe the agriculture industry is one of the smartest career paths a qualified high school student could choose. Whether you are looking for a company that you fit in with, a competitive salary, or you want to make a difference, the agricultural sector has such a wide variety of jobs to choose from that it is easy to find what suits you best. It’s a growing field that needs new and talented employees to be ready to fill positions and be the next generation of agriculture.  High School Juniors and Seniors, Moms and Dads research a career in Agriculture.  We are fortunate to have many outstanding college and universities, that offer an array of Agriculture Degree Programs that can meet your needs and the needs of potential employers.  Agriculture, consider making it your career!!