Cultivate New Skills: It’s Not Too Late

Maggie Earle-Sexton
September 12, 2024
Newsletter Article

There is a class for everyone…from learning more about agriculture technology and how to be a better leader to keeping up with the latest regulations.

In today's fast-paced agricultural sector, staying ahead of the competition is critical. Whether you're a seasoned veteran or just starting out, there's always room to improve and keep current in a field that's continuously changing.

Why does it matter?

Agriculture is changing faster than ever, thanks to new technologies, sustainability and management practices. That is where continuing education comes in! There is a class for everyone…from learning more about agriculture technology and how to be a better leader to keeping up with the latest regulations.

According to the AgCareers.com Skills Survey Report, over 80% of employers will fund individual employee professional development.

With continued learning, you build skills and proficiency to help your team, farm, or business be successful. And guess what? You aren't going to have to go back to school full-time to do it! There are lots of classes that easily fit into your busy schedule.

How to get started?

So, how do you get started? Our education partners offer an array of programs designed for all types of agriculture professionals. Here are a few opportunities that might work for you:

University Programs: Many of our education partners have programs that are designed to fit the needs of working adults. There are several courses that will help move you forward, whether you're interested in agronomy, business management, or even agricultural policy.

Workshops and seminars: These are excellent options for short-term learning about a new area of agriculture or refreshing your knowledge on a particular subject. Most of the time, these take only a few days or weeks to complete; some may only last a day!

Micro-credentials: Looking for something a bit more technical? Explore micro-credential programs in emerging areas such as automation, agricultural data science, or biotechnology. Short learning modules provide you with concentrated employable skills that are also fabulous to highlight on your resume.

How to get involved?

Still trying to figure out where to start? We can help! Following are some easy ways you can get started continuing your education through AgCareers.com:

Learn about our Education Partners: On our website, we maintain a list of universities and other organizations that offer programs specifically designed for agriculture professionals.

Attend a Webinar. Many Universities offer free webinars so that prospective students can learn more about their programs. You can learn about the classes and understand how they will help your career.