Teacher. Movie star. Veterinarian. Cowgirl. Ag engineer. TV reporter. Professional livestock judge. Lawyer. The list was long when I was growing up of what I wanted to be, and you may note none of those careers pay my bills now.
But admittedly, I’m always impressed by the kids who have their lives mapped out when they are 15 years old. However, as I’ve reminded my daughter lately, it’s completely and totally fine to not have your future mapped out in high school.
Certainly, there is nothing wrong with having an idea of what you want to do someday. I do worry when young people pigeon-hole themselves into one career path. You may think you want to be a veterinarian until you realize during your freshman year of college that organic chemistry is not your thing.
My best advice is to keep an open mind and be willing to explore a few different pathways. Figure out what makes you happy and what causes you to be curious every day. If I would have limited myself to what I thought I wanted to do in high school, I would have missed out on so many amazing experiences and opportunities.
One of the things I love about the Up & Coming Leaders series in Farm Journal’s PORK is it allows me to get a better picture of the process our next generation is taking to find their way into the swine industry. Internships and undergraduate research opportunities are key and most of the time these students land up in a field of study they didn’t expect to be in at first.
That may be why I’m so excited about these two opportunities offered by the U.S. Pork Center for Excellence (USPCE). From hands-on experience to career modules, this non-profit organization is finding ways to help fill the needed pipeline of future swine industry workers.
>>Destination Pork: This comprehensive curriculum exposes high school students to pork industry jobs and career opportunities that may interest them down the road. There are currently two pathways available through the program, one is an instructor-led experience and the other is formatted for an independent study.
“When I think about the high school curriculum we have, specifically the online modules for career exploration in the pork industry, there’s interactive modules that can connect the students with the different career types they might not be aware of, in addition to being a pig farmer,” says USPCE program manager Chelsey Van Genderen.
Communications, human resources, accounting, business, meat science, swine health and nutrition are just a few of the many ways students can find opportunities in the pork industry.
“We want to expose them to these opportunities in high school so they can pivot if needed and decide what their pathway looks like beyond high school and into the pork industry,” Van Genderen says.
>>Swine Science Online: This first-ever undergraduate program of its kind offers students who have a specific interest in swine science an opportunity to pursue a specific undergraduate industry certificate.
“It’s a university level program that offers 16 one-credit courses,” Van Genderen explains. “The best part about this program is anyone can take the courses, whether they are a current student at a university, or even an adult or a non-traditional student that has an interest in learning about the pork industry. The other unique aspect is the courses are taught by some of the best subject matter experts in a specific topic.”
For example, if you have an interest in breeding and gestation, learn from North Carolina State University’s Billy Flowers, who’s well-known for his expertise in this area. If ventilation and systems appeal to you, Iowa State University’s Jay Harmon’s class is one you don’t want to miss.
The Swine Science Online courses have a lot to offer students regardless of what they pursue as a career someday.
If graduation is approaching or you are working your way through college and aren’t sure of what career path you want to take, keep gaining hands-on experience through courses and curriculums like these or pursue different internship experiences. There are so many exciting paths out there – don’t close the doors too early!
Read more about what USPCE offers to add value to the pork industry by facilitating research and learning for U.S. pork producers through national collaboration.
