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Ag educators say demand for graduates still strong

Laura Walsh from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls discusses programs with a booth visitor at the WPS Farm Show

Agriculture educators say more young people are preparing for ag careers, but there’s still a shortage.

The University of Wisconsin River Falls is known as an agriculture school, with animal science as their most popular program. Laura Walsh tells Brownfield they are seeing where the down farm economy and commodity prices are steering future students away from certain programs.  “This year, we’re looking ahead to the numbers we expect on campus this fall in crops and soils, and they’re down a little so you know, we feel its probably just due to the economy.  The dairy (division) is holding strong, though.  We’re very pleased with those numbers.”

Rachel Kroeplien

Another school with a relatively new ag education program is Lakeshore Technical College, where instructor Rachel Kroeplien tells Brownfield the ag industry usually hires their grads immediately, including one at last year’s WPS Farm Show.  “One of my students walked up to this person and said, ‘Hi, my name is’ and I’m a student at Lakeshore Technical College graduating in May.  That person was so impressed with our student that they took him back to their own booth and did an interview on the spot and offered that student the job.”

Kroeplien and Walsh tell Brownfield the demand for agribusiness workers remains strong, and Kroeplien says it will stay strong with a high number of anticipated retirements in the next few years.

Laura Walsh interview with Brownfield’s Larry Lee at WPS Farm Show 2018

Rachiel Kroeplien interview with Brownfield at WPS Farm Show 2018

 

 

 

 

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