TECH: What's Your Agricultural Experience (Ag)

Summary

Students will explore the career possibilities associated with agriculture.

Materials

• What's Your Agricultural Experience? PowerPoint (Available through Utah Agriculture in the Classroom)
• Video cameras, or other handheld devices such as cell phones with video and Internet access capabilities
• "Emerging Agricultural Careers" worksheet
• Disposable diaper
• Employment Opportunities for College Graduates in Food, Renewable Energy, and the Environment, 2010-2015

Background for Teachers

Employment opportunities for U.S. college graduates with expertise in the food, agricultural, and natural resources system are expected to remain strong during the next 5 years, according to "Employment Opportunities for College Graduates in the U.S. Food, Agricultural, and Natural Resources System," the seventh 5-year employment opportunities projections study initiated by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The study identified graduates with baccalaureate or higher degrees in agriculture, natural resources, veterinary medicine, or closely allied specializations. This study (see link on materials list) examined those graduates who qualify for and generally enter scientific and professional occupations within the broadly defined careers of the food and agricultural sciences.

This study identified 54,400 annual job openings for new graduates from 2010 through 2015. To fill these openings, an average of 29,300 graduates is expected annually from colleges of agriculture and life sciences, forestry and natural resources, and veterinary medicine. In addition, approximately 24,200 qualified graduates each year from allied fields, including biological sciences, engineering, health sciences, business, and communication will compete for these positions. Four major factors will define the market for graduates in the next five years: macroeconomic conditions and retirements; consumer preferences for nutritious and safe foods; food, energy, and environment public policy choices; and global market shifts in population, income, food, and energy. Some of the future careers in agriculture are yet to be defined; they are the "emerging careers in agriculture."

Instructional Procedures

1. Provide each pair of students an "Emerging Agricultural Careers" worksheet and ask them to complete the worksheet together.
2. Present and discuss the information in the PowerPoint "What's been your agricultural experience today?"
3. Review the "Background" information in this lesson with your students by either providing them with a booklet or printed pdf pages of the "Employment Opportunities for College Graduates in Food, Renewable Energy, and the Environment, United States, 2010-2015" study (noted in the materials list).
4. Ask groups or pairs of students to create a video to share an "Ag Experience." In their videos, students should highlight at least three agricultural career professionals that made the experience possible. Upload the videos to a free video website such as www.vimeo.com for viewing.

Evaluation
Ask students to place the careers noted in the PowerPoint into the appropirate Career Pathway category noted on the Utah Career & Technical Education website (see Links section) to document their understanding of the careers and the type of preparation they need for a career in agriculture.