I LOOK FORWARD TO MY CAREER IN AGRICULTURE

Moving Forward.

Two words that come to mind for me whenever I think of agriculture.

Despite the economy and recent droughts, the agriculture industry seems to always be moving forward, something I am very thankful for.

I am grateful for the jobs in agriculture mainly because even though I am still a student, I feel as if I have an immense amount of experience.  Employers in the agriculture industry work extremely hard to provide internships and hands on training so that students have a leg up in the classroom, and also so students don’t feel so overwhelmed when entering the workforce.  I take pride in knowing that through my internships I help those who feed the world.

This being my last year as a student I have started thinking a lot about the agriculture workforce and where I fit into it. I have come to realize the possibilities are endless. Unlike other industries that are struggling during this recession, the agriculture industry is thriving, “moving forward” and pressing on during these hard times. I love the fact that technology is growing within the agriculture industry allowing job opportunities as well.

In the past I have seen news articles such as Yahoo! stating that degrees such as Agriculture, Horticulture, and Animal Science are “useless,” so here are some facts from the Kane County Farm Bureau that I think future graduates will find reassuring:

• Agriculture is the nation’s LARGEST employer.
• More than 21 million people are employed in the agriculture industry.
• There are more than 250 careers and 8,000 job titles in agriculture.
• There are more than 48, 000 career openings annually in agriculture – And you just need one!

I am thankful that once I graduate, I will get the opportunity to move forward and use my education in the agriculture industry.

Cailah Brock
Southern Illinois University Agriculture student