Explore agricultural and natural resources careers that go beyond the stereotypical farmer and rancher occupations. These careers focus on food, land, and people and significantly affect our quality of life and our environment. To assess student knowledge about agriculture and its impact on their lives, do the Source Search activity prior to this lesson. After the students complete this activity, it becomes obvious to them that there must be numerous careers in agriculture and natural resources because they learn that all the things we use every day (with the exception of services) are either grown or extracted from the natural world.
The careers highlighted in this lesson require post-high school training; many require bachelor of science degrees. The most important point to make with students concerning career education is that every industry or occupational endeavor has entry-level positions, mid-level positions, and highly skilled/educated positions. For example, most students can relate to cars. In the automotive industry you can be a car detailer (entry-level), sales person, auto plant worker, or mechanic (mid-level), or an automotive engineer who designs cars. What is the difference between these positions? Salary, yes, but what is the main factor that contributes to the differences in salary? Education! For the most part, you are paid for what you know. This isn’t always the case, but training or education usually pays off. The other part of your salary may be determined by how much or how hard you work. Here is a table to compare entry-level wages with higher paying wages:
$7/hour $14,560 per year
$10/hour $20,800
$12/hour $24,960
$22.50/hour $45,000
$23,624 current poverty level in America
(family of 4 with two children, 2013)
$53,046 median US household income
(could be two wage earners, 2009–2013)
What is the median household income in your state?
(Check the US Department of Commerce website)
Employment Opportunities (2020–2025)
Your students are probably unaware of the career opportunities that make American agricultural and natural resource management systems work. Farmers and ranchers account for less than one percent of the US workforce, but the professionals supporting this industry increase that number to about nine percent, and if you count transportation and distribution, the number employed as a result of agriculture is about 20 percent. Think about a career in agriculture and natural resources.
Opportunities in jobs related to food, agriculture, renewable natural resources, and the environment are expected to grow 2.6% between 2020 and 2025 for college graduates. These occupations include agricultural inspector, food scientist and technologist, soil and plant scientist, and irrigation engineer (more information at https://www.purdue.edu/usda/employment/).
