New FFA Program Helps With Career Choices

Bill Symonds

Research shows that in the next 5 year over 1 million people currently working in agri-business plan to retire.  A new national FFA program is designed to find FFA members to fill those positions.  The Agriculture Career Network is designed to not only help match students with employees but improve the career guidance young people get.  Many young people today, even those in FFA chapters, are not considering careers in agriculture. Eric Spell with agcareers.com estimates there are currently 50,000 jobs in agriculture waiting to be filled.

 

During Thursday’s mornings Pathway to Prosperity breakfast, keynote speaker Bill Symonds, from the Harvard School of Education said more emphases needs to be placed on work experience and not just academic knowledge.  He  said there are thousands of good paying jobs in ag related industries  that require special skills and training rather than just a 4 year college education.

 

The Ag career network not only connects employers with potential employees but get ag business leaders connected to students in their community to provide a vision of what a career in agriculture has to offer.

 

At the massive career trade show in the convention center, thousands of the nation’s largest companies both in and outside of agriculture, have displays designed to attract and interact with FFA members who are at the point in their life where they are making some key career decisions.

 

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