On ThE JOB
What Employers Want
educATion And exPeRience
“I am not a cotton farmer,” says davon cook, assistant
manager of buster’s gin cotton gin in ropesville. “I
don’t grow it—but I do interact daily with people who
do, so I have to have knowledge of plant genetics,
physiology, and how the plant is grown.” for that reason,
cook recommends interested students take courses in
economics, finance, business, “and anything involved with
High-
the production of agriculture.”
some prior experience, even if it’s a summer job or
internship, is also quite helpful, she notes, adding, “It
makes students more marketable employees if they have Growth
some knowledge of the day-to-day aspects of the job.”
ReliABiliTY
Business
“I want people with a strong work ethic who will show up
for their shift consistently,” cook adds. “our biggest issue
by far is turnover, especially in seasonal workers.”
Your future can Blossom in A cAReeR in
echoes kirk edney, curriculum specialist for Texas a&m
university: “people skills are very important, according
Agriculture, food & natural Resources.
to what employers tell us. That’s why students need
personal skills development—like goal setting, time
management, and group dynamics.”
M
ichelle Pittman’s work is out of international space station,” she explains.
this world—literally. Pittman, a “I have to consider how the food items are
registered dietitian for Lockheed packed, how they get into the shuttle, and
enThusiAsm
Martin Space Operations, works on a what happens when they’re in space.”
John chumbley, president of dorchester grain company
contract basis for NASA developing menus Keeping informed of the latest nutritional
and also of chumbley genetics, stresses that job
for the space shuttle crew. “It’s interesting. news is also important. As a dietitian,
applicants must be willing and eager to do the work
It’s fun. And it’s always changing,” she says. Pittman is required to take 75 hours of
for which they are interviewing. “They must present
Her favorite part is meeting the continuing education every five years. “I’m
themselves well, and be interested in and enthusiastic
astronauts and having them sample the always learning new things,” she says.
about the business,” he says.
food she’s considering for the menus. About
six months before a launch, she invites the
oRGAnizATion
shuttle crew to taste test 40–50 different
agrIculTural
organizational skills are a big plus, explains The Cattleman
items. “They rate them, and then I use their
editor ellen brisendine. “I’m talking about either the
scores to develop the menus they’ll be using producTs In Texas,
natural ability to keep things straight, or having external
in space as well as for the seven days they’re
valued aT $3.1 bIllIon In 2006,
tools to help keep you organized, such as calendars,
in quarantine before the launch,” explains
Pittman.
were THe sTaTe’s 11TH mosT
folders, personal digital assistants (pdas), and
computers,” she says.
After she’s designed the menus, Pittman valuable exporTs.
puts the data into a software program
sociAl conscience
that runs a nutritional analysis on the
professionals in agriculture, food & natural resources are
food. “That helps me ensure that the food Wildlife surveys
involved in feeding the world and protecting its resources,
meets the daily needs for calories, protein, There are no typical job duties in
says matt baker, chair of the department of agricultural
vitamins, and minerals,” she says. Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources
education and communications at Texas Tech
Yet the menus are just a part of because careers in the cluster are so varied.
university. “In this field,” he says, “we have
what Pittman handles. “I have to For example, wildlife biologist Dana Wright
to be aware of our responsibility to help people
understand the works in the Paducah field office of the
around the world achieve a better
whole process Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, and
quality of life.”
of getting a food her duties involve performing regular
shipment wildlife surveys from the air.
to the Every January she climbs into a helicopter
to fly over a nine-county region to count
mule deer. In June, she peers out the
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