Agriculture is Where It’s At
(By Don Hunter)

It’s no secret that there are fewer farmers around these days than there used to be. What you might not know is that job opportunities in the agricultural industry continue to grow—some by leaps and bounds.

One of the driving forces behind all this growth is technology. This, coincidentally, is also one of the reasons that there are fewer farmers. With greater technology, fewer farmers can produce more food than ever before. But technology has also helped to create an even wider array of employment choices tied to the field of agriculture. These choices include jobs like food processors, food scientists, nutritionists, animal and plant researchers, and market analysts.

High Tech, High Demand

Five years into the 21^st century, the agricultural industry is more high tech than ever before. This, of course, is a natural progression, and one that has manifested itself in a number of different ways. One of those ways is a demand for skills and services that, to this point, haven’t been needed. But the advent of technology is only one reason for the overall growth of job opportunities in the industry. There are others, as well, which are listed below:

• Food—we want it fast, we want it now. Or more appropriately, we want it faster, we want it yesterday. People love their food fast and convenient, and companies’ desire to meet that public need has contributed to job growth and the creation of new positions. This trend is not likely to change anytime in the near future—if at all.

• More policies = more jobs. The government loves to pass new laws, new bylaws, and new policies for just about everything, and food and agriculture are no exception. In fact, in recent years, with mad cow disease so prominent in the media, the government has made a concerted effort to exert more regulation and control over the industry. The upside? More jobs.

• It’s a small world after all. They don’t call it the "Global Market" for nothing. If you can operate effectively in international markets, then you’ve made yourself more attractive to companies seeking to make a dent overseas. And if you don’t operate internationally? Then you can take advantage of the jobs vacated by those who do.

‘Will Work With Food’

When the Baby Boomer generation retires, there will be a huge shortage of workers in this country. While that shortage is projected to occur anywhere between 2007 and 2010, it might happen sooner for the agricultural industry. There’s a good chance the process has already begun.

But where exactly are those jobs? Although I made a passing mention of some of them earlier, according to a joint report generated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Purdue University, the hottest jobs will involve those that require science/engineering and marketing skills. Other areas of growth include managers and financial specialists, communication and education specialists, social services professionals, and agricultural production specialists.

So feel good about your career choice. Not only is it something that you enjoy doing, it’s also an integral part of the rapidly recovering economy. And if you’re in the process of looking for a job, take heart. There are more opportunities with every passing day and more opportunities for you to find a position that will satisfy your employment expectations on every level.

The Impending Worker Shortage and You
(By Dan Simmons)

It’s no secret. The Baby Boomer Generation is soon going to start retiring in droves. Fine, you think, great for them. But what does that mean to me as a job seeker? Luckily, I’m here to tell you exactly what it means.

When the Baby Boomers retire, there will be more workers exiting the workforce than entering it for the first time since World War II. This is going to create a vacuum of knowledge and a shortage of quality employees. Superstar candidates will be at a premium, even more so than they are today. And this isn’t the far-flung future we’re talking about here. The year 2007 is less than two years away, and it could be argued that the start of this mass migration has already begun.

Make no mistake. This is going to affect you in some fashion. The good news is that you can benefit greatly from it, you can use it to put your career on the fast track. If you know how, that is. Below is a list of things that you can do to position yourself to take full advantage of the impending worker shortage.

• Invest in yourself. Pretty soon, you’re going to be a very hot commodity, both at your present job and in the marketplace overall. If you invest in yourself, you’ll become even hotter. Training encompasses technical training, industry training, a certification program, or maybe even going back to campus for an advanced degree.

• Find a mentor. You need to do this for a couple of different reasons, so you may need more than one mentor. First, you need a mentor for the technical aspects of the job. Second, you need a mentor who will guide you with career questions and concerns. Perhaps your company has a formal mentoring program. If not, there are plenty of books and resources about mentoring that you can consult.

• See if your company is preparing for the future. This vacuum in the marketplace is going to happen. If your company is preparing for it, then you should do everything you can to prepare, as well. If your company isn’t preparing for it, perhaps you should prepare to find a new employer.

• Check out the job market. Regardless of whether or not you’re actively looking for a new position, see what’s out there. Make sure you’re with a company that’s going to be around 10, 15, or even 20 years from now. If you think it will, decide whether or not you want to be there with them.

This is an exciting time in the employment marketplace. There are soon going to be many opportunities for employees who have taken the steps necessary to make them the most sought-after candidates by companies in their industries. Don’t miss your chance to take your career to the next level and beyond. Prepare yourself for the impending worker shortage. You’ll thank yourself later.