The results of your teaching are only evident in the quality of students who progress from your agricultural education. Recruitment and retention play important roles as this philosophy is used to educate counselors, administrators and others about the value of agricultural education and FFA. In addition, student recruiters expand their learning and leadership while serving the agricultural education program.
The Local Program Success initiative, a joint program of national agricultural education organizations, identified strong classroom and laboratory instruction, supervised. Connect FFA leadership activities, awards programs, and competitive events to a high-quality agricultural education curriculum.
8Role/Area of ActionRecruitment and Retention Ways to Strengthen
9In This Section
When coordinating recruitment and retention efforts for an agricultural education program, that person is you, the teacher. Your commitment to the overall recruiting "attitude" is an essential resource. subsequent recruitment and retention activities, regardless of who actually carries them out.
Involve Adult “Recruiters”
Aim for messages that convey how each audience member can benefit from joining, continuing or supporting your program. The "Overcoming Roadblocks" section provides suggestions for addressing obstacles that may stand between students and your program. Choose specific recruitment and retention strategies only after you've identified the audiences and messages you want to connect.
Tips and examples for a variety of recruiting strategies also appear in the "Overcoming Roadblocks" section. Feedback is an important element in any educational or communication process, including recruitment and retention.
11Recipe for Success
Below are some key messages and paragraphs about agricultural education that you could adapt for your recruitment and retention efforts:. Today's agriculture consists of biotechnology, international marketing, genetics, engineering, food science, computers, horticulture, communications, finance, veterinary medicine, nature management and much more. The leadership, self-esteem, communication skills and citizenship developed in agricultural education are important lessons for any future.
Businesses want people with an agricultural education, in part because they are generally more responsible, skilled and able to work.” Make sure students tell their peers that an agricultural education is not just serious business. They have fun while learning.
13Target Feeder School Audiences
Audiences and Other Youth Groups
FFA and 4-H both help put young people on the path to success, although each works in a unique way. Through your program, including the FFA chapter, they can further develop these skills and prepare for a career in the agricultural sector. Select outstanding and charismatic current students to work with you to present a recruitment program to the target students.
Focus on the fact that you are looking for quality and that each student present represents that quality. Send a follow-up letter or phone call to each student who fills out a form to enroll in your class.
19Match Strategies to Audiences
21In This Section
Start your recruitment and retention efforts by documenting the current status of your agricultural education program. Your first step may be to recruit student leaders and adult supporters to help implement recruitment plans. Recruitment and retention activities can be valuable leadership and learning experiences for students, and suggestions for incorporating them into course curricula or supervised agricultural experience (SAE) programs are included in this guide.
Adult advocates can be especially helpful in reaching out to prospective parents of students and helping to craft solutions to many of the barriers that prevent students from enrolling and remaining in your program. Build support for your recruitment and retention plan by presenting it to school administrators, the school board, and community partners.
23Do It! Budget Tips
Agricultural education at
The objective of this recruitment and retention plan is to strengthen
Hard-sell demands that students give up other options and devote themselves to agricultural education are likely to have a negative effect. Agricultural education programs face the challenge of finding ways to make their courses fit or accommodate these. For additional information about qualifying your courses for interdisciplinary endeavors, contact your state superintendent of agricultural education.
It is not enough that you are aware of the connections between agricultural education and school-to-career components. You can tie agricultural education into service learning initiatives by helping to place students in volunteer and service situations. Students who continue in agricultural education for four solid years have expanded opportunities to develop teaching-related SAE programs, prepare for success in career development opportunities, and excel in the FFA.
Never underestimate the value of exposing students to exciting agricultural education while in the middle grades. The SAE and FFA components of a quality agricultural education program ensure that students can be.
40Student Leadership Portfolio
44Lack of Diversity
Break down the "sows and ploughs" mentality by offering courses in non-traditional agriculture and focusing public relations efforts (ie aquaculture, organic food production, food science, horticulture and small animal care). Offer a variety of courses, FFA activities, and SAE options that recognize, value, and interest students from all backgrounds and cultures. Use hands-on activities, team or group situations, and individual learning tasks to appeal to students' different learning styles.
Focus on community service activities that appeal to a diverse community and will provide widespread exposure.
46Perception of Courses
Present the topics to be covered in terms of the benefits they offer to learners. Reflect the inclusion of SAE programs with supervised agricultural experience and FFA as an integral part of agricultural courses. Apply your expertise with hands-on experiences in careers, leadership and business, and expand your supervised agricultural experience project.
Learn and apply skills in electrical wiring, electric motors, concrete, masonry, welding, plumbing and more as you build a home for Habitat for Humanity. From children's toys to "coffee table books" and news reports, the images most people receive about careers in agriculture focus exclusively on production agriculture. That leaves a huge choice of careers in agricultural marketing, processing, communications, research, education, horticulture, natural resources, forestry, agribusiness and more.
Make sure your course offerings and curriculum do indeed prepare students for a wide variety of today's agricultural careers. Invite former students who are now studying agriculture at a postsecondary institution or college to discuss their studies and how they fit into agricultural careers. Contact the nearest college-level agricultural education programs for recommendations of graduates working in your area.
They need to know that agricultural careers are available and rewarding in terms of pay, advancement and personal fulfillment. Highlight the outstanding career opportunities in agricultural education. professionally rewarding career with high salaries and additional benefits. Even students who eventually decide that teaching isn't for them will benefit from earning a college degree in agricultural education.
Agricultural Education-
Agriculture's People Profession
All the marketing in the world will not build enrollment in an agricultural education program that simply does not meet the needs of students, parents, the school system and the community. The most effective way to discover what students want from agricultural education is to ask them. As with students, the best way to discover what parents want from your agricultural education program is to ask them.
Some need the agricultural education program to provide adult education for their career and personal development. 34 barrier "inconsistency" can legitimately be addressed within the overall scope of a quality agricultural education program. Initial contact letters to prospective students and their parents that connect your program with the student and invite further discussion; and.
I think you will be surprised to learn about the many benefits of being involved in agricultural education and the FFA. I hope that you will consider agricultural education and enroll in the
Not only is agricultural education meaningful, career oriented, challenging and fun.. it is also cutting edge, taking things to the extreme. Some agricultural education programs are blessed with school-envious computer labs. Come with me as we look at Central High School's agricultural education program."
The National FFA organization also produces s that promote FFA membership, an important benefit of entering the agricultural education program.
Make a Difference in Agriculture
Caller: Hello, this is
Have you heard of the agricultural education program or any of the advantages that come with enrolling in agriculture. Caller: The agricultural education program is a great way to get involved in many activities and make new friends. Caller: Enrollment in the agricultural education program offers you the opportunity to become involved in the FFA program.
I think you will be surprised to learn about the many opportunities and benefits that can be gained from involvement in the agricultural education program at
