Abstract:
The career paths pursued by agricultural education graduates from the University of Missouri were explored. In addition, graduates' job satisfaction, employability skills required for their careers, and the contribution of the degree program's curriculum in developing the skills were assessed. Graduates pursued a variety of careers, with approximately two-thirds employed as secondary agriculture teachers, sales representatives, or in managerial positions. Graduates teaching secondary agriculture and graduates employed in industry were equally satisfied with their chosen career. For graduates changing employment, a change in career goals or ambitions had the greatest influence on their decision, while being unprepared for the position was not a factor. Graduates rated "getting along with people," "planning and completing projects," and "analyzing information to make decisions" as the employability skills with the greatest need. When factoring in the contribution of the program's curriculum, "analyzing information to make decisions" rose to the top as a need for improvement.
Keywords:
career, satisfaction, employability, skills
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