Colleges and universities on the High Plains are seeing increased enrollment in agricultural programs, reports Amarillo.com.
According to a Texas Farm Bureau report, attractive employment prospects causing more students to consider ag-based careers. Despite recent struggles in the farming economy, these students are signs that a bright agricultural future may be on the horizon. Canyon’s West Texas A&M University is among the universities that have seen a rise in ag enrollment.
Denese Skinner, WTAMU’s director for career services, confirmed that the rise is due to increased job opportunities which, she said, are bountiful. The USDA projects about 58,000 average annual openings in coming years for graduates with agriculture degrees. However, the number of students graduating in ag-related fields is far lower than the number of available positions.