A teenage boy sits on a farm, deeply immersed in a book while a woman talks to him, completely absorbed in his reading. A teenage boy and girl are occupied preparing items for the hens on a poultry farm.
What do you want to do when you grow up? Right now, perhaps you would say that you would like to do a job that your parents do… or maybe a job you see someone doing on television.
Six consecutive photos appear: a man welding, a young man and woman working at a computer, a lush jungle with a flowing river, close-up of leaves, a laboratory with a man and a woman holding a bottle of orange liquid, and an image of a cow.
However, it is important to investigate all kinds of possible careers. The perfect job may be one you’ve never heard of! And in agriculture, there are so many jobs to choose from!
The text “Working with animals” accompanies a photo of a cow. The screen divides: a contemplative teenage boy on the right while text appears on the left: “Work with animals?” “Enjoy riding horses?” “Love cats and dogs?” “Working with cattle?” “Veterinarian!”
Working with animals. Do you like to work with animals? Do you enjoy riding horses? Do you love pets and own a dog or a cat? Have you dreamed of working with cattle? If the answer is yes, you could consider becoming a veterinarian where you care for animals.
A veterinarian carefully examines a small animal before placing it on the table. A smiling doctor stands in an animal shed, holding a notepad.
Veterinarians specialize in administering health care to specific kinds of animals. Some work in small animal health care, while others keep our food animals healthy.
Two people converse, one holding a dog while out on a walk, transitioning to a man in a wheelchair playing with a dog.
Another option for working with animals in agriculture might be training dogs to be service companions. Service animals are used with people who are visually impaired or who need emotional support.
The slide titled “Working with Plants” shows an image of a plant, transitioning to visually stunning landscapes designed by humans.
Working with Plants. Maybe you like working with plants? Landscape designers are people who create beautiful gardens and other landscapes around buildings or in public spaces. They combine art with agriculture to design visually and environmentally pleasing areas.
A plant scientist pours liquid into a test tube in a laboratory, then transitions to another plant scientist observing something under a microscope.
Maybe science is your thing. How cool would it be to work as a plant scientist and develop a corn plant that could withstand drought? Or a variety of soybeans that could boost calcium or iron and prevent illness? Plant scientists investigate plants to find varieties that are sustainable with our changing climate or are more nutritious for humans and animals.
In the slide titled “Working with Technology”, a small picture of a man welding transitions to men repairing engines in shops, carpenters, and welders.
Working with Technology. If you enjoy working with your hands, you could own a repair shop for small or large machinery. Agriculture is an industry with a lot of engines and innovation. People who repair engines or design equipment are always in high demand. If you enjoy building things, you could be a carpenter or a welder. Farms are always looking for someone who can repair or build structures.
In the slide titled “Figuring out how things work”, an image of people working on computers transitions to a biologist inspecting plants on a farm, then back to people on computers. A smiling girl stands with a robot controller.
Figuring out how things work. Maybe you like figuring out how things work. If so, maybe you would like to be a Biologist who studies how to make a farm more productive. Or maybe you would like to design computer software, sensors, drones, or even robots that help farmers use their time more efficiently.
In the slide titled “Working with Food”, images show women in a laboratory, followed by food inspectors examining foods and food scientists experimenting in the lab.
Working with Food. Do you like food? If yes, consider a job as a food inspector, making sure food is ready to sell in a store. Food scientists create new foods, new packaging for food, and new ways to prepare foods. We like to eat and we generally like a variety of foods. Food scientists try to meet these desires while maintaining food quality and integrity.
In the slide titled “Working Outdoors”, an image of a jungle and river transitions to foresters engaged in timbering and forest conservation.
Working outdoors. If you like working outdoors, perhaps you would like to be a forester. Foresters work with trees, harvesting timber, and implementing conservation efforts to make sure there are trees and forests to enjoy for years to come.
A series of images showing people working in various agricultural jobs such as being a veterinarian, a food inspector, and a food scientist etc.
These are just a very small number of jobs available to you in agriculture… the choices are almost endless.
At a farm, a woman explains something to two children.
One great way to figure out what you would really like to do is through an SAE, or Supervised Agricultural Experience. Talk to your Agriculture teacher to learn more. Your future in agriculture awaits you!