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Lauren Quinlan
September 16, 2025
Career Guide ArticleAs you start or continue your career search, meet five FFA Alums who have found success in each of the top five career pathways in agriculture, according to data pulled from AgCareers.com and AgExplorer.
AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS PATHWAY
Connect business with food and agriculture.
Featured Alum: Cara Crye Wright, President and Chief Executive Officer, Farm Supply
When Cara Crye Wright started working on the sales team at Farm Supply, a farmer-owned cooperative with five locations on the central coast, as a college student in 1996, she didn’t know this opportunity would one day lead to a full-time career — but it did. She began working as the cooperative’s marketing coordinator. She was later promoted to vice president of communications and became Farm Supply’s first female president and CEO in 2017.
“There are so many opportunities in this field, and we need smart leaders now more than ever,” she says. “As our society continues to become more removed from understanding where its food comes from, the challenges our industry faces on a daily basis increase and there becomes a greater need to feed, educate and advocate around the world.”
Career Considerations: Account manager, agriculture lawyer, digital marketing specialist, logistics specialist, or sales agronomist
TECHNOLOGY PATHWAY
Use technology to increase efficiency and profitability.
Featured Alum: Sheila (Weninger) Jaeckel, Precision Agriculture Consultant, Ballweg Implement
Sheila Jaeckel’s favorite part of her current job is that no two days at Ballweg Implement are the same. Sometimes she’s in the office, helping farmers troubleshoot over the phone, while others include traveling to the field or shop to work with them face-to-face.
“I highly recommend trying out a career path through an internship or job shadowing experience,” Jaeckel says. “For me, this was a great way to gain real-world experience and see what it was like working with different farmers and types of equipment.”
SUSTAINABILITY PATHWAY
Balance economic concerns and environmental impact.
Featured Alum: Brock Vetick, Innovation and Sustainability Specialist, Settje Agri-Services and Engineering
Although Brock Vetick knew he wanted to pursue a career rooted in agriculture, he never imagined he’d find himself working in the sustainability sector.
“I love the breadth of my job and working with people in rural communities,” Vetick says. “The word ‘sustainability’ can mean something different to everyone, but there’s certainly a place for those who are interested in this field.”
Today, he helps improve all aspects of the design, construction and management of livestock facilities. This includes exploring new technologies and evaluating the environmental, economic and social sustainability practices of farming operations.
Career Considerations: Aquaculturist, community/urban farmer, environmental engineer, renewable energy specialist or wildlife biologist
BIOTECHNOLOGY PATHWAY
Enhance plants, animals and microorganisms to solve global issues.
Featured Alum: Milton Sabat González-Serrano, Ph.D. Candidate, the Ohio State University
Milton Sabat González-Serrano is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in biochemistry, along with additional training focused on molecular biophysics.
During his time at the Ohio State University, one of the many things González-Serrano enjoys about working in this field is its dynamic nature. After completing his Ph.D. this year, he hopes to apply his knowledge to contribute to innovative solutions that address real-world challenges.
“From developing drought-resistant crops to improving food nutrition and reducing environmental impacts, biotechnology is transforming agriculture,” he says. “This field combines biology, engineering and environmental science. Remember to stay curious, keep learning and be open to interdisciplinary collaboration.”
Career Considerations: Animal geneticist, laboratory technician, plant pathologist, quality assurance manager, or systems administrator
SKILLED TRADES PATHWAY
Apply specialized knowledge, abilities and hands-on skills.
Matthew Baxter, Weld Shop Leadman, Land Pride, Great Plains Manufacturing
Matthew Baxter, who’s been in his current role for more than 16 years, completed a nine-month welding course at Fort Hays Tech North Central. He says this educational experience exposed him to different types of welding and fabrication work and equipped him with skills such as reading and drawing blueprints — all of which prepared him for what to expect when entering the workforce full time.
“If you’re looking for a career where you can use your hands to physically build or create something and make a good living for yourself, this pathway is definitely the way to go,” Baxter says. “You can count on there being a strong demand for your skills anywhere in the world.”
Career Considerations: Custom applicator, farrier, heavy equipment operator, livestock auctioneer or maintenance/service technician
Read more about these FFA alums and their career journeys on FFA.org. To learn more about these career pathways and others, visit AgExplorer.org and AgCareers.com.
