Description of the job
The agricultural technicians that sell goods and services are named farm sales agents. Some are employed in firms that produce and sell lubricants, fuel, seeds, sprays and fertilizers. One of their significant works is to calculate the requirements of a farm in relation to its size and herds.
Agricultural technicians are also employed for companies that lend money, sell insurance or present services like crop picking and record keeping. Insurance companies, banks and lending agencies depend on the agricultural technicians in order to estimate their crop value, farm properties and livestock.
Some agricultural technicians also buy livestock and crops for the companies that package and process food. Field agents can look over vegetables and fruits for their companies. These technicians find out the cost of a herd or harvest.
In addition, the agricultural technicians work under companies that store and process grain, seed and feed. They are employed in warehouses, grain elevators (where the grain is stocked up) and processing plants. They may also control scales that measure the weight of grain.
Educational requirements
A related degree or a 4 year college degree is required to be an agricultural technician. There are several courses available at vocational schools and junior colleges. Courses in nut, berry, grape and fruit production are as helpful as business and marketing courses.
Work and study programs are also offered by some schools that allow the students to acquire practical experience. These types of programs are also helpful at the time of searching for a job.
Career advancement and job prospects
The agricultural technicians may progress to the posts that pay higher and bring greater responsibilities. Technicians working for cooperatives; food processing firms; or in seed, grain and feed industry can progress to posts in public relations and marketing.
As the technology in the agricultural field is developing, there will be an increasing demand of people with training further than high school. Most of the job opportunities will be in order to substitute the workers leaving the field.
Salary and benefits
Salaries are widely varying depending on experience, education, location and responsibilities of the job. The average salary of an agricultural technician is around $13.74 an hour. The general benefits consist of paid vacations and holidays. The agricultural technicians working for big industrial firms usually receive pension plans and health insurance.
Thus, the job prospects for agricultural technicians are very bright. So, if a person is thinking of building a career as an agricultural technician, it can definitely bring a good change in his professional life.
