Agriculture has always been an important part of North Carolina’s economy. But the workforce needed to sustain it looks very different today than it did a generation ago.
Modern agriculture requires people who understand plants, animals, and equipment, as well as data, technology, business, and increasingly sophisticated production systems. Employers also need workers who can communicate, solve problems, adapt, and continue learning.
Meeting those needs requires developing the next generation of agricultural workers. The good news is that North Carolina is not starting from scratch.
Across the state, K–12 schools, community colleges, universities, and agricultural employers are already doing important pieces of this work. Our opportunity is to strengthen the connections among them so students can move more easily from discovering an interest in agriculture to developing skills and building a career.
That collaboration was the focus of a recent episode of Golden LEAF Critical Conversations, where leaders from Greene County Schools, Alamance Community College, and the University of Mount Olive shared how they are preparing students for agricultural careers at different stages of their education.
Their experiences show what that connected approach can look like.
In Greene County Schools, students work with livestock, grow and sell plants through a school-based enterprise, study agricultural mechanics, earn credentials, and connect with businesses and work-based learning opportunities.
Those experiences help students see that agriculture extends far beyond traditional farming. Careers exist in animal health, biotechnology, precision agriculture, agribusiness, horticulture, mechanics, research, veterinary medicine, and many other fields.
Students then need clear next steps. At Alamance Community College, programs including Veterinary Medical Technology, Animal Care and Management Technology, Agribusiness, Sustainable Agriculture, and Horticulture allow students to develop specialized skills while exploring different career opportunities. Employer partnerships and advisory boards help ensure those programs remain connected to workforce needs.
Universities build on that foundation. At the University of Mount Olive, students are gaining experience with precision agriculture, drones, data analysis, advanced equipment, and other technologies transforming the industry. The university’s Shady Grove Educational Livestock Facility will expand opportunities for hands-on learning with livestock, research, biosecurity, and emerging agricultural technologies.
What is important is that these institutions are not working alone. Schools are partnering with colleges and employers. Community colleges are connecting students with universities. Universities are accepting transfer credits and providing internships and industry experiences.
North Carolina needs to continue strengthening those connections.
A student should be able to discover agriculture in middle or high school, gain hands-on experience, earn credentials or college credit, continue their education when appropriate, and ultimately enter the workforce without having to start over at each step.
There also cannot be only one path. For some students, the right next step is employment after high school. Others may pursue a credential, associate degree, four-year degree, or advanced education. A strong agricultural workforce system should support all of those routes.
Employers must remain central to that work by identifying changing skill needs, providing work-based learning opportunities, and helping education and training remain connected to real careers.
North Carolina already has many of the programs, partnerships, and institutions needed to develop its future agricultural workforce. The next step is connecting those assets even more intentionally.
The future of North Carolina agriculture will depend on technology and innovation, but ultimately it will depend on people. By working together, our schools, colleges, universities, and employers can prepare those people for successful careers while strengthening agriculture and rural communities across our state.
Hear more from the educators doing this work in the Golden LEAF Critical Conversations episode, “Preparing the Next Generation of Agricultural Workers.”