Case Study
State Agriculture Association (Midwest)
CONSUMER INSIGHTS
Agriculture
Attracting young people to jobs in agriculture.
THE CHALLENGE
The state’s agriculture industry is challenged with labor shortages and building a future talent pipeline. Existing programs are successful in generating future talent that serve predominantly in roles that require a college or post-graduate degree.
A key priority is to build awareness, understanding, and relevance of the industry as a viable career path for young adults, especially in roles that do not require a college degree.
OUR STRATEGY
Qualitative research with HR leaders supporting state agriculture producers helped to understand the issues and highlighted the importance of reaching talent younger, building a positive reputation for working in the industry, and developing more effective programs to increase the talent pipeline.
Next, quantitative research was conducted to understand the needs and interests of youth and young adults (ages 13-18) in the state, their post-H.S. job and career intentions and how to best connect with them to foster industry understanding and interest.
IMPACT
A detailed insights report was developed identifying the profiles of youth to target – those with a clear interest in Ag careers as well as a key segment of ”leaners” who are persuadable. The report included strategies to better engage youth through relevant programs and investments.
Meetings were convened with other state Ag organizations and partners to share the insights and work together to brainstorm programs, content, and investments to build the talent pipeline for the Ag industry as a whole.
