Careers
25% Scientific and Engineering
16% Agricultural and Forestry Production
13% Education, Communication, and Government Services
Companies in which our graduates have found positions:
- Genex, Inc.
- Purina Mills
- Dairy Farmers of America, Inc.
- Pennfield Corp
- Land o' Lakes
- Empire Kosher Poultry
- Wenger Feeds
- Wampler Foods, Inc.
- Tyson Foods
- The American Angus Association
- The Pennsylvania Guernsey Association
- Holstein World
- Erie Zoo
- Perdue Farms
- Wells Meat Co.
- Penn State Cooperative Extension
- AgChoice Farm Credit
- Fort Dodge Animal Health
- Pfizer Animal Health
- PA Beef Council
- Cargill, Animal Nutrition
- Monsanto
- Tyson Foods, Inc.
- Indianapolis Zoo
- Select Sire Power, Inc.
- Merck and Co., Inc.
- USDA/NRCS
- privately owned farms
Alumnus Carrie Bomgardener, Pennsylvania Beef Council
course work secured
interviews for me, it was
my extracurricular
experiences at Penn State
that sold prospective
employers on my
capabilities. I landed my first
communications
position
because my
writing portfolio included
an 80-page yearbook that
I edited
as a Dairy Science Club member.
The Club helped me apply classroom
skills, in a team
environment, with diverse personalities."
Baccalaureate graduates in Animal Sciences may find employment in technical sales and service, promotion and editorial positions, and production credit.
Breed organizations and artificial insemination firms seek some graduates, while others return to the family farm or accept positions as herd managers on farms.
Students with a research interest find employment as research technicians or in quality control in the meat industry. Others continue their studies in veterinary medicine or graduate programs.
Qualified graduates who pursue master's degrees can develop careers as research associates in universities, industrial or government laboratory settings, or pharmaceutical settings; as teachers; and in technical service in the animal health products industry. Qualified graduates who pursue doctoral degrees may find positions in industrial research and development; government research, and with universities in teaching, research, and extension.
The Big Picture
Employment opportunities for U.S. college graduates with expertise in the food, agricultural, and natural resources system are expected to remain strong 2005-2010, with slightly more than 52,000 annual job openings for new graduates.
Most opportunities will be in management and business, where graduates can expect more openings than qualified applicants. Graduates also can expect a large number of positions in scientific and engineering specialties.
Niche opportunities will be available in agricultural and forestry production, and qualified graduates may also find positions in education, communication, and governmental services.
Career Resources
AN SC 290W
AN SC 290W, Careers in Animal Agriculture, is an academic course on careers, summer work experiences, and entry-level employment opportunities available to students interested in the animal sciences.
Career Development Services in the College of Agricultural Sciences
Penn State Career Days attracts nearly 500 employers. Held annually each fall, this event is cosponsored by Penn State Career Services and several Penn State colleges, including the College of Agricultural Sciences. In addition, the College of Agricultural Sciences Alumni Society and Alpha Gamma Rho, the agricultural fraternity, provide support for this event.
AG 100, Job Placement Skills and Strategies, is a one-credit course to help students interested in agriculture-related careers identify career and life goals and implement career decisions.
AG 495, Internship, is an independent field experience related to a student's major. Students must work with their advisers to develop appropriate programs.
The Network of Agricultural Cooperation is a group of about 140 alumni who volunteer to help students in the College of Agricultural Sciences find appropriate employment. Cooperative extension agents throughout the state, faculty, researchers, and nearly 200 Pennsylvania agricultural organizations can offer advice and can often identify specific job opportunities. For more information, contact Career Services, 865-2377, 403 A Boucke Building. Career counselors also are available daily to see students on a walk-in basis.
Penn State Career Services
The University Career Development and Placement Center, 419 Boucke Building, assists students from every college at the University with interviews and employment guidance.
For more information, visit the Penn State Career Services Web site.
Chart adapted from Employment Opportunities for College Graduates in the Food and Agricultural Sciences, 2005-2010.
