High employment rate for Ag grads

An employment survey of University of Saskatchewan College of Agriculture graduates from 1998-2002 shows that more than 90 per cent were employed soon after graduation and 70 per cent found their first job in Saskatchewan.

More than 80 per cent said they were satisfied with the education they received from the U of S.

The survey, conducted by Insightrix Research Services, also challenges the conventional wisdom that career opportunities in the agriculture industry are on the decline. The majority of agricultural students found work within a month of graduating and overall, 75 per cent of graduates were satisfied with their first job.

Self-employment is more lucrative, with Bachelor of Science in Agriculture graduates earning an average of $38,500 compared to Diploma graduates earning an average of $43,000.

Approximately 20 per cent of graduates are self-employed. The majority (68 per cent) of those self-employed are operating a farm enterprise while others are working in other agriculture-related enterprises.

A total of 20 per cent of BSA graduates did not come from a farming background and a large proportion of them think not having a farming background has had very little impact on their career. Overall, 48 per cent of graduates are currently working in rural areas while 52 per cent are working in urban areas.

News Index

Home · About Us · Issue Dates · Submissions · Ad Information · Back Issues · OCN Policies · Search OCN