Study: Agbio Talent Strong, But Work Remains
AgriNovus says growth in the ag-biosciences field is outpacing Indiana's overall private sector.
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowA new talent report from AgriNovus and TEConomy Partners suggests, while Indiana is in the "enviable position" of having ag-bioscience talent aligned with employer needs, a rise in demand will lead to a job gap in the coming years. The study reports Indiana’s industry employs more than 75,000 workers, with job growth of more than 22 percent since 2003. The report suggests future need will be in "allied" occupations, including information technology, business and skilled production.
In an interview for Inside INdiana Business’ Life Sciences INdiana e-newsletter, AgriNovus Indiana Chief Executive Officer Beth Bechdol said Indiana’s ag-bioscience companies must play a key role in attracting human capital. She says AgriNovus, Indiana’s ag-bioscience initiative, is in "a unique position to help coordinate and unite these resources and partners."
The report outlines multiple goals to address the "allied" job gap in the industry, including:
Create a greater pipeline of students interested in agbioscience careers.
Develop industry-relevant skill sets for core occupation talent.
Increase agbioscience career engagement for allied occupation fields.
AgriNovus cites a recent report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and analysis from Purdue University suggesting there will be nearly 58,000 job openings in the U.S. food and agriculture industry every year for college graduates, but only 35,400 new U.S. students available to fill those positions. That would leave nearly 40 percent of those jobs open.
You can see the full report by clicking here.
Bechdol says businesses need to continue to “come alongside” AgriNovus to share the story of agbioscience careers in Indiana.