Career and Technical Education offers a variety of options for students to explore future opportunities. In this blog series, we will be exploring and sharing rapidly growing, high-demand careers that CTE programs can engage students’ interest in. This week we are looking at high-demand careers for the agriculture industry.
Career options in these areas come from a variety of settings but tend to always improve the quality of life for individuals and have a focus on working with people. We dove in to the National Center for O*NET Development* to find what the fastest growing, high-demand career options.
1. Career option: Farm and Ranch Managers
- Other job titles: Accredited Farm Manager (AFM), Cash Crop Farmer, Farm Operator, Ranch Manager, Sow Farm Manager, etc.
- Education: Most require a bachelor’s degree
- On-the-job tasks: Inspect orchards or fields to determine crop maturity and condition; direct crop production operations; plan crop activities; maintain financial and production records
- Key soft skills needed: Critical thinking, decision making, communication
- Median wages (2018): $32.67 hourly; $67,950 annually
These experiential learning tools offer applicable training opportunities: Employability Skills, Corn Stalk Model, Plant Science Kit, Dicot Flower Model
2. Career option: Agriculture Inspectors
- Other job titles: Brand Inspector, Consumer Safety Inspector (CSI), Food Sanitarian, Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), Seed and Fertilizer Specialist
- Education: Most require a high school diploma or associate degree
- On-the-job tasks: Inspect food products and processing procedures; set standards for the production of meat or poultry products; inspect agricultural commodities; interpret and enforce government acts
- Key soft skills needed: Active listening, critical thinking, comprehension
- Median wages (2018): $21.22 hourly; $44,140 annually
These experiential learning tools offer applicable training opportunities: Employability Skills, Food Safety Kit, Beef and Pork 3D Meat Cuts Poster, Cow Model, Chicken Model
3. Career option: Nursery and Greenhouse Managers
- Other job titles: Farm Manager, Garden Center Manager, Grower, Harvesting Manager, Propagation Manager, Horticulturist
- Education: Most require a bachelor’s or associate degree
- On-the-job tasks: Manage nurseries that grow horticultural plants; identify plants and diseases; assign work schedules and duties to staff; determine plant growing conditions
- Key soft skills needed: Communication, active listening, management skills
- Median wages (2018): $32.67 hourly; $67,950 annually
These experiential learning tools offer applicable training opportunities: Employability Skills, Greenhouse Insects Kit, Dicot Stem Model, Hydroponics
Learn how we can help you prepare your students for in-demand careers:
- Download FREE career exploration lessons for a variety of pathways
- See complete packages for agriculture programs
