May 5, 2005

Report: Ag graduates with business skills will have an edge

WEST LAFAYETTE, IND.—Employers in food, agriculture and natural resources will be competing for students with management and business skills over the next five years, according to a report published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Purdue University.

“Employment Opportunities for College Graduates in the U.S. Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources, 2005-2010,” forecasts demands for graduates with specific skills. The report is based on statistics produced by the USDA, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the National Center for Education Statistics.

“Employers are looking for students with strong technical and communication skills who can work well in team environments,” said Dr. Allan Goecker, associate director of academic programs in Purdue Agriculture and principal author of the report. “Strong business skills are also an important asset for which employers are searching.”

Annual job openings for students with expertise in food, agriculture and natural resources are expected to be around 52,000, with slightly more than 49,300 skilled graduates. Graduates will find the most opportunities in business and management, with 24,000 annual openings and 20,200 qualified applicants.

The careers with the greatest demand will be sales and marketing, food safety and biosecurity, food system biotechnologies and consumer information technologies. “Demand will be down for jobs that offer services to producers,” Goecker said. “Weaker opportunities will also exist for education, communication and government services jobs, because more than enough qualified graduates are expected.”

The report identifies four major factors that will influence employment opportunities over the next five years: changing population demographics will add opportunities in health and life sciences; continued business mergers will affect available job openings; advancements in science and technology will create jobs for students with strong technical skills; and food security and environmental issues will remain key topics.

“The report should help students make good career plans,” Goecker said. “It’s a longer-term outlook about what will be in demand for the next five years and possibly longer.”

The full report is available online. The study is the sixth in a series of five-year employment opportunities projections initiated by the USDA.

Contact Beth Forbes, Purdue Agriculture Communications, at 765-494-2722.