Strategic Roadmap for Kentucky Agriculture: 2025-2030
Prioritize workforce development to meet employer needs by expanding career opportunities in agriculture.
Workforce development in agriculture is crucial for meeting employers’ evolving needs and ensuring a sustainable future workforce. Prioritizing it involves identifying high-demand sectors and the required competencies. Collaborating with educational institutions and industry partners, such as universities and agricultural organizations, aligns training with employer needs. Career mapping and outreach from elementary to adult learning create pathways into agricultural careers while engaging career influencers raises awareness of opportunities. Employer education is key to helping businesses understand modern workforce expectations, enabling effective retention and development strategies. Overall, workforce development drives industry expansion and fosters innovation. —Laurie Mays, Strategy Lead
View Updated Working Group Document (.docx)
Next Working Group Meeting - May 27, 2025 @ 10 a.m. EDT
If you are interested in joining, please email Laurie at lmays@kychamber.com.
|
Tactic 1: Identify high-need sectors and employer needs within those sectorsDetermine current and future critical workforce needs, such as meat processors, large equipment operators and mechanics, welders, ag economic development experts, NRCS, organic inspectors, CDL, accountants/tax preparers working with farmers, et al. a. Establish critical workforce needs through data (from KY Stats, USDA). b. Determine competencies needed in critical sectors and how to build those in both traditional & non-traditional agriculture. When? November 2024-2025 Where? Kentucky Chamber Talent Pipeline Management reports, meetings with employers February 2025 Meeting Notes: Chamber Foundation - Laurie Mays is meeting with the Kentucky Horticulture Council (Trevor Terry). The council received a Dept of Labor grant for finding help in the horticulture space. They are learning what employers' needs are to develop applicable training programs. Foundation looking to find ways to help and talk with employers. UK also part of the team. Mark Mains will forward the employer survey to Laurie. The Chamber is also meeting with SeedLeaf (new KAC member). They are for workforce development support/programs. Jennifer Hardin - Meat Processors meeting with Mike Uptegraff, Kentucky Dept of Labor. Working on a training program with KCTCS or CTE for meat processing. Mark Mains - https://agriprospects.extension.org/agriprospects-summit-2025/ | Project Lead
Partners for Delivery
Collaborators KDA Economic Development, Supply Chain Working Group, Ag Diversification & Innovation Working Group, Large Animal Veterinarian Task Force |
|
More than $2 million in scholarships are awarded annually to Kentucky students pursuing careers in agriculture and related fields.
|
Throughout 2024, the Kentucky Agricultural Council, with assistance from the Kentucky Agriculture and Environment in the Classroom, developed a resource website - kyagworks.org - and promotional materials to help youth and job seekers find opportunities in Kentucky agriculture. The website currently includes:
Additions may be made by emailing kyagcouncil@gmail.com. |
|
Tactic 2: Education and Career MappingHelp people navigate educational and training opportunities from elementary through adult learning while strategically defining career pathways. a. Identify and align (look for crossover skills) career pathways in agriculture. b. Provide education and training opportunities for individuals who are in recovery, reentering the workforce, changing careers, or entering the workforce for the first time. This includes a range of post-high school options, such as certificates, industry-specific training, associate degrees, apprenticeships, undergraduate degrees, and graduate-level programs (e.g., a distilling certificate).
c. KY Chamber Bus to Business program. d. Inform students about financial resources for agricultural career preparation, including available scholarships and potential earnings in agricultural careers. e. Develop programs in urban middle and high schools to expose students to agricultural opportunities (incentivize rural and agricultural working and living). When? 2025-2026 Where? Meetings with employers, ag organizations, VA offices, prison systems, military bases; KyAgWorks.org | Project Leads
Partners for Delivery
Collaborators Ag Coord. & Comm. Working Group, KY AgVets Program at KDA |
|
Tactic 3: Career Influencer & Education OutreachEngage career influencers (i.e. counselors, career coaches) in middle and high schools with educational opportunities to learn about the breadth of career opportunities in the agriculture industry. Prioritize career exposure and connections with teachers and students outside of agriculture to build awareness of agrifood jobs and eliminate barriers.a. Create an ag workshop/career seminar for influencers e.g. Kentucky School Counselor Association, CTE conference, and UK teacher listserv for CE resources – focus on those outside of agriculture. b. Compile and emphasize available scholarship dollars for students in agriculture. c. Continue to publish career profiles and career mapping (KyAgWorks.org, KY FFA Works, UK, The Farmer’s Pride). d. Aligning curriculum lessons/activities with needed workforce skills. e. Prioritize upper elementary students, e.g. reality fairs, new elementary ag ed programs. When? June 2024 - September 2025 Where? KY School Counselors Fall Conference February 2025 Meeting Notes: Ky Meat Processors working on an educators guide. Beef Council wants to hold an event at the YARDS. School Counselors - need to get a proposal together to present in September. Brian Parr (Murray) said the best place to connect with counselors is through dual-credit programs, in their experience. Murray may be able to help with the conference. | Project Leads
Partners for Delivery
Collaborators Ag Literacy Working Group, KY Chambers’ Educator Industry Guide, STEM & STEAM programs in schools, KY Dept. of Education |
|
Tactic 4: Employer Networking and EducationSupporting the foundation of the industry. a. Convene employers to expand the use of work-based learning opportunities, apprenticeships, and adult education. b. Foster collaboration between employers, educational institutions, and high opportunity population agencies to ensure industry-driven program development. c. Educate employers on the needs and preferences of today’s workforce to enhance employee retention. When? Ongoing Where? Industry organization meetings February 2025 Meeting Notes: When Chamber focused on Equine, they developed a work-based learning internship program - Title of opportunity, what skills they needed to apply, teachable skills, and how many positions were available. Created a document to share with schools and school districts connections. Created a map of where opportunities were. Employers and students facilitate. Laurie collected participation. Teachers kept up with the students. Launching third year of this. Want to expand into general agriculture. Working with Bethany Mattingly at KDA on this. Connecting with Kentucky FFA Works with networks. Laurie and AgriBusiness Association working to develop a list of potential employees. Murray hosts a fall and spring career fair. Number of companies participating is growing. Handshake app may help connect. Murray will share those. KCTCS also uses Handshake. | Project Leads
Partners for Delivery Collaborators Farm Transitions Working Group |