The agricultural career landscape is ever changing, and students have more career options to choose from now than ever before. Whether interested in welding, writing, mechanics or sales, the National FFA Organization has a tool to help students navigate the possibilities and get on the right track: AgExplorer.

Through a partnership between National FFA and Discovery Education, a tool to help FFA members navigate careers in agriculture was developed. The following career focus areas have been narrowed down for students to explore: Agribusiness Systems, Agricultural Education, Animal Systems, Biotechnology Systems, Environmental Service Systems, Food Products and Processing Systems, Natural Resources Systems, Plant Systems and Power, Structural and Technical Systems.

Students can either learn more about each area and its careers on their own or utilize the Career Finder quiz to be matched with options that may be a good fit for their skills and interests.  This resource takes the pairing a step further to suggest Supervised Agricultural Experience ideas related to their specific results.

Agricultural education teachers can even bring these tools into their classroom through educator resources provided by National FFA, including lesson plans, virtual field trips and classroom activities to further career exploration in agriculture.

More information on AgExplorer and Career Finder can be found at https://agexplorer.com.

—By Brandelyn Martin Twellman

Industry professionals share their tips for students exploring agricultural careers.

From animal and plant science to sales and communication courses, agriculture students get a taste of diversity in the industry throughout their high school years. No matter which classes spark their interest and fuel their passion for agriculture, students can be confident in the opportunities available.

“If you have an interest in agriculture, the industry has a place for you,” says Jessica Kueffer, recruitment and employee development manager for MFA, Inc. “Whether you find expertise on the farm or in an office, it takes all kinds to make our industry thrive.”

Kueffer says this presents the opportunity for students to find a niche in the industry.

“As a student, you’re exposed to so much, so take a step back and ask yourself, ‘What do I enjoy seeing, doing or learning about most?’ ” she explains. “Then, look to higher education, whether it’s a technical school, community college or university, to build on the experience you’ve had thus far. If you enjoy what you’re learning about and working on, you’ll be building a career and not just working a job.”

Now more than ever, quick learners are in high demand.

“Our industry is quickly becoming more technology-driven, and there is a demand for students who have the skills to quickly learn these advances,” says Colton Spencer, who is a senior at the University of Missouri-Columbia and served as a student worker for MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) Career Services the past two years.

In addition to soft skills such as public speaking and time management, skill requirements vary by profession.

“Specific skill development is highly dependent on the sector of the industry you choose,” Kueffer says. “Certifications, on top of higher education, can really set applicants apart. In today’s top talent we see certifications achieved in every realm of business, whether it’s in agronomy, precision technology, business, finance, human resources or sales.”

Kueffer notes that desired skills often go beyond what can be taught.

“Top skills are often related to the company’s values,” she says. “They are personal abilities that are not taught but lived out every day. At MFA, we believe that we can teach you the technical knowledge you need to succeed, but we can’t teach you honesty, accountability or communication. No matter where you go within the industry, you’ll need these three traits.”

While FFA is a good starting point for career exploration and personal growth, it doesn’t stop there.

“As a professional in employee development, I’m a firm believer in the idea of continuous learning,” she says. “Companies will hire you for who you are and how you fit with the company culture. You’ll excel in the role because of the gifts of knowledge you offer in the position. When you continuously focus on building your skills and performing a job better than the day before, you’ll find success.”

Students must be intentional about this continuous process.

“The advice I’d offer here: go to the class, attend the training, ask the questions and challenge yourself to grow every single day,” Kueffer adds.

This intentionality can start with seeking out opportunities in FFA. Spencer said involvement in the organization can help students explore agricultural careers and better prepare them for the workforce.

“I would say general advice is to become involved in every possible event through FFA, which will help students search for careers without even realizing it,” he said. “Career Development Events and other trainings are essential components of FFA that allow students to find their passions within the industry.”

Matt Arri, director of MU CAFNR Career Services, says taking advantage of professional development opportunities in high school could have a lasting impact.

“While the job market is very robust, the competition for the best positions is still very strong,” he says. “The more well-rounded an FFA member is, the higher the likelihood of them obtaining an internship while an undergraduate or landing their dream job after graduation.”

FFA can also be used to build connections with industry professionals.

“First, build your network,” Kueffer says. “Never be shy to talk to someone within the industry about their experience, their education or their journey.  Then, build your resume and practice talking about your own experience, education and journey. Learning to tell your story will become easy.”

With many diverse opportunities in agriculture, students are encouraged to use their FFA background, network of connections and hands-on experience to explore multiple careers in the industry.

“We encourage students to obtain as many internships as possible to help them determine which industry and type of position they may want to have before they graduate,” Arri says. “We encourage everyone from freshmen to seniors to network with industry professionals at career fairs and through other means to learn more about career opportunities available to them.”

“My take-home message for students is to be active early,” Spencer adds. “Don’t wait to take advantage of opportunities. Act now and work to improve your skill set each and every day.”

—By Brandelyn Martin Twellman

—Photos courtesy of MFA, Inc.

FFA members often cite a culture of close-knit family as a favorite part of their years in the organization. They develop feelings of trust and friendships that last with those who share in their FFA experiences. The agriculture program at State Fair Community College (SFCC) in Sedalia, Missouri, has capitalized on that same culture.

“There are a number of reasons that students enjoy the program,” says Brad Driskill, agriculture program coordinator at SFCC. “Most agriculture students like the close-knit bonds that are formed in their high school agriculture programs and participation in FFA.  We provide an environment conducive to that culture.”

Driskill says their agriculture program offers courses and degrees with a dual purpose: to support students seeking careers in agriculture and to support the agricultural industry seeking a trained workforce. This is accomplished by offering four Associate of Applied Science degrees, two professional certificates and an Associate of Arts degree for students wishing to transfer to a university to continue their education.

At SFCC, students can pursue associate degrees in arts or in agriculture with an emphasis in agribusiness, agronomy, animal science or horticulture. They also have the option of obtaining a professional certificate in agribusiness or agronomy.

The location of the college helps attract students interested in the offered programs.

“From our location, south we get many students who have an animal science focus, but from Sedalia, north we get students who tend to have an agronomy focus,” Driskill says.

This diversity in student interest allows the agriculture program to integrate both areas into effective educational opportunities. Each degree and certificate area of the program focuses on both specific skills needed to help students in their future careers and soft skills needed across the board.

“SFCC Agriculture focuses on work-based skills in the specific degree area,” Driskill says. “Students are trained in technical knowledge that will help Associate of Applied Science degree seekers enter the workforce and help Associate of Arts degree seekers prepare for transfer to a university.  In addition to technical skills, we focus on leadership, citizenship and essential skills need for employability.”

From calculating yield estimates in local fields to growing mums and greenhouse plants for student-operated sales, every student passing through the SFCC agriculture program becomes familiar with hands-on learning. All Associate of Applied Science degree-seeking students are even required to obtain an internship position for further hands-on experience.

SFCC Agriculture students also receive personal growth and career exploration opportunities as they move through the program. One of these opportunities comes from participation in the Professional Agriculture Students (PAS) organization, a nationwide collegiate group that continues the leadership opportunities FFA provides. Driskill says students always enjoy the organization, as PAS offers skill set development and network opportunities in addition to its national collegiate-level competition-style learning model.

Students also receive career guidance from required classes in the SFCC agriculture program.

“The ag program engages each student that comes through the program to help them determine career goals,” Driskill says. “We have a sequence of classes that focus on employment, goal setting and personal skill identification. This helps us guide each student into a career path that best suits them.”

From hands-on learning to personal skill growth and career exploration, SFCC Agriculture students are ready to tackle the workforce or pursue additional education in the agricultural industry upon graduation from the program.  More information on the SFCC ag program can be found at https://www.sfccmo.edu/academics-programs/areas-of-study/agriculture/.

—By Brandelyn Martin Twellman

Over 4,500 first year FFA members from more than 320 Missouri High Schools had the opportunity to learn about being positive role models, learning to get involved, making sound choices, becoming active team members and making a positive difference in their lives, school and community Jan. 6-10 across the state during the annual Greenhand Motivational Conferences.  The conferences were presented by the Missouri State FFA Officers and were sponsored by MFA, Inc.

Through interactive workshops and skits, the state FFA officers encouraged first year FFA members to explore their talents and reach outside their comfort zones for the opportunities provided through FFA membership. Officers helped the new agriculture students set goals for their education, careers and FFA experience.

Eighteen conferences were held at 13 different locations throughout the state: Missouri State Fairgrounds, Sedalia; Bowling Green High School, Bowling Green; Truman State University, Kirksville; Sullivan High School, Sullivan; Three Rivers Community College, Poplar Bluff; Missouri State University, West Plains; Lincoln University, Jefferson City;  Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau; Waynesville High School, Waynesville; Missouri State University, Springfield; Missouri Western State College, St. Joseph; University of Missouri, Columbia; and North Central Missouri College, Trenton.

Walking into the National Agriscience Fair, Dylan Sparks looked at the rows upon rows of project presentations and didn’t know how he would measure up. He and his partner, Bella Kidwell, are members of the Troy FFA Chapter. They agreed the National Agriscience Fair was something they will never forget.

Matt McCrory, an advisor of the Troy FFA Chapter, said the fair is broken into different segments.

“Students discover a problem, research it, develop a hypothesis and conduct the scientific experiment to test the hypothesis,” he said. “They write a research paper displaying their research, data and results.  Students then make a display board portraying their research project and take part in a 10-minute interview with judges explaining their concepts, steps and analysis.”

The Agriscience Fair allows students to further explore topics in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

“They get to choose from a variety of category areas based upon their interests, including Environmental Services/Natural Resource Systems; Food Products and Processing Systems; Plant Systems; Power, Structural and Technical Systems; and Social Science,” McCrory explained.

Sparks and Kidwell decided to explore the Animal Systems area.

“Dylan and I did a project about artificial insemination in swine,” Kidwell said. “We looked at what type of rod would be the best to use. It was between a traditional spirette rod and an intrauterine rod. We tested on a litter of gilts and sows.”

In addition to learning about swine, Sparks said he also developed leadership skills throughout his project.

“It helped build my confidence while speaking in front of people,” he explained. “It helped build my writing skills as well.”

Kidwell and Sparks won at the state level and went on to win the national competition in 2018. Sparks is moving onto nationals again this year. He attributes his chapter’s consistent success to teamwork and collaboration.

Sparks said he remembers an older member reaching out to help them with their project.

“He read over our essay, listened to our speech and gave us tips,” Sparks said. “We all just work together to refine everything. It’s not just your project–it’s almost the whole chapter’s project.”

Similarly, Gabriel Simmons and Allison Harris, members of the Tuscumbia FFA Chapter, believe their chapter’s successes are due to the encouragement of others involved.

“I am blessed enough to be in a chapter filled with people who are both passionate about what they do and encouraging to those around them,” Harris said. “The members in my chapter strive not to be perfect but instead to be the best they can be. This certainly makes an impact on every individual member of the chapter, school and community by pushing them to be the same way.”

While the students attribute most of their success to those around them, Tuscumbia Advisor Nick Parks said his students are self-motivated as well.

“What makes our chapter successful is the time our students put into the project outside of school,” he explained. “They put in countless hours both inside and outside of the classroom.”

Invasive species was Simmons’s topic of choice this year.

“I was investigating how well the public understood invasive species,” he said. “I created a survey. Section 1 consisted of questions where subjects had to identify invasive flora and fauna, and non-invasive flora and fauna. They also had to classify these species as either invasive or non-invasive. In section 2, they had to answer questions related to the problems associated with invasive species.”

Harris chose to do her project on preventing corrosion of mild steel.

“Acid media, which is used heavily in dairy industries, can cause severe damage of goods and structures,” she explained. “I used beet root, grape seed, green tea, and Moringa oleifera extracts. These extracts were added to an acid solution, and each was tested at three different concentrations. The change in mass was calculated at the end of the experiment, and I found that each of the treatment groups was 100% effective at preventing corrosion.”

Both members competed at the National Agriscience Fair this year. While they are excited about their successes thus far, they are also appreciative of the skills they have gained.

Parks said that while the main purpose of the fair is to encourage students to search for solutions to common issues in agriculture, it also allows for many personal growth opportunities.

“While learning about the uses of acid media, I learned how much of an impact it makes in various industries, the environment and the economy,” Harris said. “However, I also learned to be persistent and work hard to accomplish my goals, no matter how difficult it may become.”

Each student agreed that the Agriscience Fair has presented them with lessons and opportunities they didn’t foresee. Whether it changed their future career path, helped them with interview skills or allowed them to explore a new area of agriculture, each student has taken away more than an award from the experience.

—By Brandelyn Martin

Diversifying her livestock enterprise sounded like a good plan. Yet, it was the greatest challenge Bucklin FFA member Amelia Liebhart faced with her supervised agricultural experience project.

“Raising and exhibiting Salers cattle along with my sisters and fellow family members was a given, but expanding into swine and goats was not,” she explains.

Initially met with resistance, Liebhart says her family couldn’t understand the interest she had in other species, especially given the success they had received in the cattle industry.

However, with a little help from her grandpa, Liebhart was able to persuade her parents into the expansion. The decision was one that helped the FFA member become a national winner in the diversified livestock proficiency award area last month at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana.

“Experiencing the success and satisfaction of my own SAE in diversified livestock production made me realize the value of the entire SAE process to the agricultural education program and the value of the experience to agriculture students,” Liebhart says.

Liebhart’s SAE includes raising registered Salers beef cattle, crossbred swine, Boer goats and working on her family’s farm. Income she earns on the farm is used to purchase needed hay, feed, veterinary care, pasture and bull rent. She also invested in the production of seven acres of corn to help provide feed for her livestock project.

“Raising livestock and growing up in a farm environment has shaped me as an individual and exemplifies the FFA motto through my experiences,” Liebhart says. “Learning the value of hard work, dedication, money management, goal-setting, planning, decision-making and even dealing with failure and loss (have been critical to my success). Through practical experience, I have built up a lifelong enterprise while learning life skills.”

In the future, Liebhart hopes to become an agricultural education instructor and share her own experiences with her students, helping them learn essential skills and gain opportunities for success through their own SAE programs. She says her first-hand experiences will undoubtedly assist her in teaching future students while allowing her to continue serving others.

“Everything of value requires hard work and dedication, and this can come with some difficult decisions and lessons,” she says. “Overall, my involvement in raising livestock has been positive and rewarding, and I plan to continue it throughout my life and with my own family.”

—By Joann Pipkin