3 Tips to Building A Career In AgTech

Tip #1: Think Career, Not Job 

“A job is something you do to collect a paycheck. A career is something you would do even if you weren’t getting paid. It is something you do very well so you can earn a good living from it. When we talk about applying tech expertise in untraditional industries like agriculture and food processing, we are talking about careers. There are good-paying positions available for people who are passionate about data, mechanics, automation, and systems. At Chemeketa, we are working hard to help students use their technical knowledge and skills in ag because we understand how much tech already exists there and how much will be integrated in the near future.” 

Tip #2: Expand Your Vision  

“I think many people are unaware of how much advanced technology is used in agriculture. Recently, I visited some local food processing facilities and was shocked by their use of robotics, hydraulics, and other forms of automation. It takes highly skilled workers to keep these complicated systems running. If you want to pursue a career as a mechanic, you can do more than work on cars. If you want to be an electrician, you can do more than wire homes. If you get excited about data, you can apply that passion with businesses not named Meta or Google. Feeding the world is a high-tech endeavor and requires workers with high-tech skills.” 

Tip #3: Combine Passion with Expertise 

“Many young people care about the environment, they care about the food supply, and they care about their local communities. They want to be part of helping each of those areas thrive, but they wouldn’t necessarily identify themselves with the image of a farmer. Farmers have continually been forced to grow more for more people on less land and with fewer workers. Innovations and tech adoptions can help create more efficient farms and better data—and more importantly, people who can gather and interpret that data—will be intensely valuable to growers. If you are passionate about healthy soil, nutritious food, and a thriving local economy, you can use your tech expertise to make all these things possible.”