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| Skills needed to succeed in the Agriculture, Food, and Sustainability field |
This is a listing of skills that will supplement your college education. Develop them early!
Develop skills and knowledge
- Have an innate respect for the land, what it provides, and the people who work it.
- Develop excellent communication skills - oral and written
- Develop basic knowledge and experience with a cross section of technical skills
- Experience working on farms and with agricultural markets
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Technical Skills
- Business management
- Soil and integrated crop management
- Livestock and pasture management
- Marketing
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Leadership Skills
- Planning and organization
- Marketing and promotion
- Supervision
- Community relations
- Conflict management
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Interpersonal Skills
- Logistics
- Safety skills
- Judgment and decision-making
- Problem solving
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Become an expert
Operate Vehicles
- Obtain a driver's license; get experience hauling and backing trailers
- Have a drivers license and clean record; become eligible to drive Unity vans
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| Obtain Certifications |
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| Professional Association Links |
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| Career Advice |
Attend the Unity Career Fair - talk with the professionals in your field, conduct informational interviews
Talk with upperclassman - where did they volunteer, intern, and find employment?
Ask faculty, and CRC about Unity alumni who are employed in the Agriculture, Food, and Sustainability fields. Call alumni who are working in an area you want to work; introduce yourself, let them know you are looking for advice, internship, job
Attend area, state, regional, national sustainability/agriculture conferences
Read Journals and magazines related to Agriculture, Food, and Sustainability
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| What types of positions can I work in? |
| Positions to look for during college to gain experience and skills:
- Community Development Coordinators
- Farmers
- Farmland Preservation Coordinators
- Food Writers and Journalists
- Local Government Officers
- Small Business Entrepreneurs
Volunteering even half a day a week for the summer will provide you with valuable experience. You may need to ask repeatedly before being taken on as a volunteer.
Remember it's all about NETWORKING. If you don't network how is anybody to know who you are and what you have to offer? Volunteering is where you are given the chance to schmooze with the professionals, use it wisely. This is where a lot of people get their first jobs.
Definition of "NETWORKING"- Introducing yourself to, and getting to know, people who might be able to tell you about a job. "An estimated 80% of all jobs are filled by word of mouth even though they may be advertised." The Career Search Handbook"
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| Develop a gift wish list |
If anyone asks what you would like for your birthday, Christmas, Chanukah, graduation etc. suggest the following
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- MOFGA or other farm organization membership
- Basic Gardening Tools
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Grad School Links
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