A woman in a lab coat examines specimens through a microscope. A yellow screen slides into view, displaying the title "Choosing a Career That's Right for Me."
A harvesting machine maneuvers across a vast field. Two men engaged in conversation within a radio station setting appears next. Subsequently, the picture of the woman looking into a microscope reappears.
Agriculture feeds and clothes the world, so there will always be exciting and challenging opportunities for a career in agriculture.
A man in a lab coat is experimenting in a laboratory with some equipment. A text bar at the bottom reads, “Over 22 million people are employed in agriculture.” A worker skillfully operates a machine that transfers peas into a container. A text bar at the bottom reads, “There are over 8,000 job titles in the industry.”
Over 22 million people are employed in agriculture, and there are over 8,000 job titles in the industry.
A man stands in a sun-drenched field, surrounded by cows. He gently pats and rubs the back of a calf nearby.
So how do you decide which career might be right for you?
A person focuses on repairing a blue farming machine. Young students sit in a classroom, working on computers under the guidance of a teacher.
Choosing a gratifying career is not an easy task, but you can start to explore and form a plan on how to evaluate the possibilities.
A woman in a classroom setting and hovering her pen over a notepad. A yellow panel occupies half the screen, displaying the heading "Evaluation Process: Personal Interests" and listing potential areas of exploration: Science, Communication, Computers, Designing Things, and Growing Things.
To start your evaluation process, first, think about your personal interests. Do you like science? Communications? Computers? Designing things? Growing things?
The screen splits into halves. On the right, a woman writes. On the left, a title appears that reads "What are Your Individual Talents?" The narrator reads out the list.
Make a list of subjects and identify potential jobs related to your interests. Next, what are your individual talents? Identify and write down subjects you excel in at school, anything others have complimented you on, activities you do in your spare time or have enjoyed in the past, and any other experiences where you excel.
A photo of a Job Description paper for Food Safety Technician appears. A person sitting at a messy desk looking at his computer screen appears next.
While job descriptions provide a good overview of a job, they might not tell you exactly what someone in a particular career does daily.
A person has a conversation over an office desk with a young guy.
You may also want to interview someone working in the job area in which you are interested.
A young woman talks to a man in an office while taking note. The text-bar below reads, “Ask them questions about what they do.” “Get their advice on how to plan for the career.” and “Ask them about the challenges they experienced on the pathway to their career.” A young woman seeks guidance from a mentor in an office setting, diligently taking notes during their conversation.
Ask them questions about what they do, get their advice on how to plan for the career, and ask them about the challenges they experienced on the pathway to their career.
A blonde teenage girl in a blue school uniform is seen diligently writing in her notepad.
Compare the interview information with your own preferences.
A driver steers a harvesting machine while controlling the roller as it harvests a crop field. Next, a person fixes some component of a truck using a spanner.
Do the daily requirements of the job sound appealing to you or do they describe a job you would not want to do?
A man and a girl have a conversation in an office.
Interviewing people about their careers is a great way to gain in-depth knowledge of a potential career choice.
A young man, wearing safety gloves and eye protection, operates a machine in a workshop. Beside him, another man provides guidance.
Next get hands-on experience if you can!
A girl, holding a file, walks alongside a man in an office hallway.
Find out if there are opportunities for you to job shadow in the position.
A young girl writes in a notebook while an observing lady looks on.
Many times there are intern positions or part-time jobs available in the field of interest.
The worker, who was pouring peas into a container, reappears. Now, he proceeds to fill another container using the machine.
Hands-on experience will give you insight to the things you do and don’t like about a particular career choice.
Some students working on computers in a school reappears. The text bar below reads what the narrator says.
Keep track of the research you do on careers, the interviews you conduct, and hands-on job experiences in your record book.
A man explains something to a woman in an office. Next, a woman works in a horse stable.
Career Exploration is an excellent idea for a Foundational SAE, and paid or unpaid internships can qualify as Placement SAEs.
A man explains something to a boy in an office.
Early planning will allow you to prepare well for a career.
A bunch of professionals appears in lab coats and helmets in a workshop where meat is hung upside down. A person using a machine on a tower in huge field appears next. A girl shaking hands with a man in an office appears later.
You can take classes in high school and college to gain the knowledge and skills needed to be successful in a life-long career endeavor.
A boy enters an office, shakes hands with a man, and they proceed to sit down for a conversation.