OREGON, Ill. – Over 175 high school and middle school students attended the Ag Career Exploration Fair on Nov. 21 in Oregon. Students met with and asked questions to college recruiters and business representatives who focused on studies and careers in the agricultural field. Colleges shared information on the many majors in agriculture and what it takes to get a degree. Agriculture-related employers had representatives there to offer career knowledge and discuss the skills needed to perform specific jobs.
High schools that participated were from Oregon, Ashton-Franklin Center, and Fulton. Colleges, universities, and businesses that were on hand for the students were Blackhawk College East Campus, Iowa State, Joliet Junior College, Southern Illinois University, University of Wisconsin-Platteville, Western Illinois University, Bayer, CHS, Etnyre, Nachusa Grasslands, and Vita Plus. There were also U of I Extension staff to talk about food science and careers in Extension. John Heisner from FCAE visited with students about ag education as a career path.
Melinda Colbert, University of Illinois Extension Ag in the Classroom Program Coordinator, said, “The target audience is high school students, and sometimes ag teachers or guidance counselors bring the students. The home school population that attends continues to grow, along with students that come with their parents.” The event was free and open to the public.
Ag in the Classroom is offered through the University of Illinois Extension in partnership with Ogle County Farm Bureau, Carroll County Farm Bureau, Ogle County Soil & Water, and Carroll County Soil & Water.
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 700 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through six program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, family and consumer science, integrated health disparities, and natural resources, environment, and energy.