Skills and Capabilities Needed for Agribusiness Graduates

Agribusiness significantly contributes to the US economy, employing about 22 million people. In 1987, the Agribusiness Management Aptitude and Skill Survey (AGRIMASS) assessed the skills desired by employers in undergraduate agribusiness majors. This study revisits the AGRIMASS survey, comparing its findings with the original 1987 results to identify shifts in employer preferences. A national survey of agribusiness professionals from over 14 sectors was conducted, and their perspectives were analyzed alongside the 1987 data. In addition, a factor analysis of AGRIMASS items identified 10 skill categories. The ranking of six skill categories remained unchanged from 1987 to 2023, with soft skills (Interpersonal and Communication Skills) consistently rated highest, followed distantly by Business and Economics Skills. The value of experiential learning, highlighted by Boland and Akridge (2004), has increased, emphasized by a higher score for work experience. While departments offering agribusiness programs have made strides in integrating business skills and experiential learning, progress in cultivating soft skills is less documented. To be positioned to build the future agribusiness workforce, it would be valuable for departments to consider conducting a curriculum mapping of their program relative to these industry-valued factors.