As you start or continue your career search, meet FFA Alums who have found success in the top five career pathways in agriculture, according to data pulled from AgCareers.com and AgExplorer. AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS Connect business with food & 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.” TECHNOLOGY Use technology to increase efficiency & 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 Balance economic concerns & 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. BIOTECHNOLOGY Enhance plants, animals & 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.” SKILLED TRADES Apply specialized knowledge, abilities & hands-on skills. FEATURED ALUM: 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.” CULTIVATE A CAREER IN AGRICULTURE EXPLORE THESE FIVE PATHWAYS TO SEE WHAT YOUR FUTURE COULD LOOK LIKE. BY LAUREN QUINLAN, FFA NEW HORIZONS EDITOR, NATIONAL FFA ORGANIZATION PHOTOS: Tiyu – stock.adobe.com, SkyLine – stock.adobe.com 27 AGCAREERS FOOD & AGRICULTURE CAREER GUIDE LEARN MORE ABOUT THESE CAREER PATHWAYS AND OTHERS, VISIT: AgExplorer.FFA.org and AgCareers.com
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