| Abstrakt: |
In an effort to increase awareness about career opportunities in the agricultural industry, Tuskegee University (TU) recently implemented a new course, Study Tour of Agricultural Industries to enhance students' knowledge of agriculture industries, provide exposure to internship and career opportunities, and learn about the skills and preparations needed to pursue said careers. Two faculty members, one staff and ten students from the College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences at TU visited National Future Farmers of America, Dow AgroSciences, Elanco Animal Health in IN; a Cargill facility in IL; Royal Canin Pet Health and Nutrition Center in OH and Pig Improvement Company in TN. Here the effectiveness of the week-long study tour was assessed. Data were gathered using a questionnaire and analyzed by descriptive statistics. Eight of 10 students (6 females and 4 males) had their career goals to be future veterinarians while 2 were with agribusiness majors. Nine of the 10 participants responded to the survey. Results showed that the tour met the participants' expectations (100%), and that the tour was well planned (100%); however, 78% indicated that the transportation could have been better. The majority (89%) of students preferred to have this trip during the spring, and 67% of students indicated that the trip could have been enhanced by the addition of entertainment activities and student input regarding the selection of agriculture industries. Further, 78% of the respondents were willing to pay up to $100-$300 for the trip, but 22% were unwilling to pay. All respondents indicated that they would recommend the course to others. Overall, the respondents' perception of the benefits of the study tour was favorable as shown in Table 131.The results clearly demonstrate that students acquired valuable perspectives and knowledge about the agriculture industries and associated careers, and it is recommended that the agriculture industry travel course be continued as a part of the agriculture curriculum. |
