CLusTEr PrOfiLE
Get
Growing
careers in
AGRiculTuRe, food &
nATuRAl ResouRces
include farming,
biotechnology, wildlife
management, and more.
A
griculture is often misunderstood as being all cows, sows One of the most promising career areas in the cluster is veterinary
and plows,” says Joe Townsend, associate dean in the College technology, a field that is expected to expand because the number of
of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University. pets people own is on the rise. In addition to working in community
“But there’s a lot more to it than farming.” In fact, Townsend says veterinary clinics, vet technicians can specialize in a species or in
that close to 70 percent of students currently pursuing degrees in areas such as artificial insemination.
Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources grew up in cities, not on A new and emerging career option is biotechnology, which
farms or ranches. involves working to ensure that we have a safe and healthy food
Indeed, this cluster can prepare students for careers as varied as supply. Jobs in this high-paying field include developing genetically
fighting bioterrorism, keeping the food supply safe, and developing altered plants that don’t need insecticide or that don’t need much
healthy menus for astronauts. This cluster has enough jobs, in fact, to water so they can grow in drought conditions—as well as helping to
employ about 20 percent of all U.S. workers. prevent outbreaks of E. coli that contaminate the food supply.
A green Thumb Aquafarming
If you like designing things and figuring out how they work, for Aquaculture, which deals with subjects such as fish farming and
example, agricultural engineering might be for you. Do you have a keeping streams and oceans healthy, is another rapidly expanding
green thumb? Consider becoming a florist or greenhouse manager. field that pays well. Water is becoming a precious commodity and
If you enjoy spending time surrounded by nature, you might make a
good wildlife manager, fish and game officer, or forest ranger.
If nutrition interests you, look into becoming a food scientist.
10
Fast-Growing Careers
Environmentally responsible? Become a recycling technician.
You can even find jobs in this cluster that are related to recreational
facilities, such as being a turf manager at a golf course or a range
occupation
% Growth New Jobs Created
(2002–2012) (2002–2012)
manager for a hunting ranch.
environmental engineer 40.0% 900
environmental engineering Technician 26.1% 300
Make the World
a Better Place
forest and conservation worker 25.0% 50
“Some students go into science,
water and liquid waste Treatment plant
and system operator
22.6% 1,500
some into sales and marketing,
and still others will be
nonfarm animal caretaker 22.4% 1,750
lobbyists or leaders in
agricultural equipment operator 17.8% 900
government,” Townsend first-line supervisor of farming, fishing,
says. “We’re all about
and forestry workers
17.0% 500
making the world a
zoologist and wildlife biologist 16.7% 50
better place.” animal breeder 16.7% 50
farm, ranch, and other agricultural manager 13.7% 1,850
This is a projection of 10 fast-growing careers in Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources in Texas from the year
2002 to 2012 and the number of new jobs created in each occupation. Note that while the percentage of growth
in jobs may be high, the actual number of jobs created may be low. Source: Texas Workforce Commission.
Page 6
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24