There has
been much discussion the past few days about the value and worth of a degree in
agriculture. A popular website ran a piece in its Education section
detailing a listing of “useless college degrees.” Many of our alumni,
faculty, staff and students responded with their views on the true worth of a
degree in agriculture. We applaud the agriculture community for coming to
the defense of the sector.
Agriculture
careers make up one in four jobs in the United States. As many know, the
agriculture industry is as widely diverse as the people in this country.
Nearly every aspect of daily life has a connection to agriculture and it is one
of the career tracks where there is always opportunity to adapt.
Reports like the “Employment Opportunities for College Graduates in Food,
Renewable Energy, and the Environment, United States, 2010-2015” (http://www.ag.purdue.edu/usda/employment/pages/default.aspx), put out by the United States
Department of Agriculture, paint a different picture than the article in
question did yesterday. At the UK College of Agriculture, 90 percent of
our graduates reported they had a full time job, part-time job or were pursuing
an advanced degree in the 2010-2011 exit survey.
The
University of Kentucky College of Agriculture supports students going to
college and earning their degree, whether that be in agriculture, human
environmental sciences, or any program in the country. There has never
been a better time for students to step up to the challenges of an increasing
world population, economic recovery, or simply to make a difference in their
community than now. Agriculture needs students who can rise to these
challenges and commit to making a difference. Colleges of agriculture
around the country are the perfect places for young minds and young leaders to
enroll and begin making the difference today. The jobs are there, as are
the opportunities.
Dr. Scott
Smith Jason
Headrick
Dean Director
of Student Relations
University of Kentucky University
of Kentucky
College of Agriculture College
of Agriculture
