Agricultural Technician: Overview, Education & Training Requirements, Job Outlook and Salary
Submitted by: Gypsy Santiago
Job Overview: The job of Agricultural Technicians involves growing and harvesting crops, protecting them from hazards such as pest infestation and disease and setting up or maintaining laboratory to be used in collecting and recording data needed in biology or related agricultural experiments, projects or products. They may also be assigned to supervise unskilled working in plowing fields, picking fruit and operating harvesting equipments. These technicians can also be assigned to dictate when and how to plant and harvest. Sometimes, they could also help in improving quantity and quality of crops through experimentation.
Education, Training and Knowledge Requirements: To become an agricultural technician, one should complete at least a two-year agricultural course in junior colleges or vocational schools. However, larger companies and government departments prefer those with an Associate degree in agricultural technology. Make sure to study the type of work you intend to make as a career. If you plan to work in the grain industry, courses in the production of fruit, nuts, berries or other grains are helpful. Taking up courses on marketing, businesses or equipment maintenance is also a plus.
Skills & Abilities:
Agricultural technicians must have vast knowledge in chemistry, biology and food production, with a strong grasp in using scientific methods and rules in solving problems. He/she should have excellent customer service skills and both verbal and written communication skills. They should also be active learners and critical thinkers, as well as be able to handle multi-tasking, troubleshooting operation errors and monitoring performance of personnel.
Duties: Work varies depending on the industry. In general, technicians specializing in agriculture are responsible for receiving and preparing laboratory samples for analysis, recording data based on research and experimentation, collecting samples from crops or animals, adjusting and maintaining equipments, operating laboratory equipments, planting seeds using scientific methods, supervising weed or pest control, measuring and marking plot areas, conducting insect or plant disease surveys, and performing various crop production duties, among others.
Earnings & Job Outlook: The employment outlook of agricultural technicians is expected to grow more slowly than average until 2012. As new technologies are developed, the need for workers with training will be needed food processing companies, cooperatives or feed, seed and grain industries. Salaries vary largely depending on experience, education, responsibilities, specialty and geographic location of work. Those working in research earn $11.80 per hour, while those in the field earn $13.78 an hour.
Gypsy Santiago is a professional resume writer and career search strategy/career branding coach with years of experience in assisting job seekers prepare for the job market. She helps create career-targeted resumes, provides useful tips about career transition, offers future career ideas and guide jobseekers about effective job search techniques.
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Word Count: 417 Date: Sat, 31 Jul 2010 Time: 6:05 PM
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