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CAREERSCAREERS

Presentation prepared byAlice F. MullisJanuary 2011

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Employment Opportunities for College Graduates  

FoodRenewable Energy

& the Environment

  United States

2010-2015  

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Find your future!Find your future!Each year new college graduates are needed to fill 50,000 jobs50,000 jobs in the fields of:

FOOD

AGRICULTURE

NATURAL RESOURCE SYSTEMS

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These scientists and professionals:These scientists and professionals:

• develop and use new production and processing techniques

• discover new uses for agricultural and forest products

• operate in ways that are environmentally sensitive

• advance economic competitiveness of the United States through foreign trade

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47%11%

27%

15%

Agricultural & Forestry Production

Management &

Business

Science & Engineering

Education, Communication &

Governmental Services

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIESEMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

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JOB GROWTH PREDICTIONJOB GROWTH PREDICTION

The U.S. Department of Labor projects significant growth in selected food, renewable energy, and environment jobs during 2008-2018 in the Monthly Labor Review published in November 2009.

Food Scientists and Technologistscan expect a 16.3% job growth.

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JOB OUTLOOKJOB OUTLOOKJob growth among agricultural and food scientists should be faster than the average for all occupations.

Opportunities are expected to be good over the next decade, particularly in food science and technology.

Employment is expected to grow by 16 percent between 2008 and 2018, faster than the average for all occupations.

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Job growth will stem primarily from efforts to increase the quantity and quality of food produced for a growing population.

Additionally, an increasing awareness about the health effects of certain types of foods and the effects of food production on the environment, will give rise to research into the best methods of food production.

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New developments will also be used to improve the:

• quality of prepared food products and

• safety of prepared food products.

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Job growth for food scientists and technologists will be driven by the demand for:• new food products

and

• food safety measures.

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Food research is expected to increase because of heightened public awareness of:

• diet

• health

• food safety

• biosecurity (preventing the introduction of infectious agents

into herds of animals)

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Advances in biotechnology and nanotechnology should also

spur demand, as food scientists and technologists apply these technologies to testing and monitoring food

safety.

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Examples of Examples of BIOTECHNOLOGYBIOTECHNOLOGY

• Slowing down the process of food spoilage

• Genetically modifying tomatoes• Producing cheese with synthetic

enzyme• Adding enzymes to flour to keep

bread fresh longer

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What is What is NANOTECHNOLOGY?NANOTECHNOLOGY?

• Nanotechnology is the science of building materials and devices from single atoms and molecules. This emerging interdisciplinary science combines chemistry, engineering, biochemistry and materials science. It’s big—on a really small scale.

• In the development of food, one of the many challenges is to employ modern tools and knowledge, such as computational materials science and nanotechnology, to develop new products and processes.

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Expect more than 14,600 annual job openings in science and related professional specialties.

Successful candidates for positions as scientists or engineers should have strong skills in basic and applied sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines.

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JOB MARKET FACTORS JOB MARKET FACTORS for the Futurefor the Future

• Macroeconomic conditions and retirements

• Consumer preferences for nutritious and safe foods

• Food, energy and environment public policy choices

• Global market shifts in population, income and energy

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Have you read or heard about any recent food recalls?

Sure you have. Food recalls are in the news almost daily.

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FOOD RECALLSFOOD RECALLS

• SPINACH

• PEANUT BUTTER

• EGGS

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Egg Recall Sparked by Salmonella Egg Recall Sparked by Salmonella Threat: Are You at Risk?Threat: Are You at Risk?

(CBS) A massive egg recall has consumers scrambling to check their pantries for eggs that might be contaminated with salmonella.

The recall involves 228 million eggs produced in Galt, Iowa by Wright County Egg, and distributed to wholesalers and food service companies nationwide

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DIET & NUTRITIONDIET & NUTRITION

• Americans have become more aware of what they eat, and how it might affect their health.

• Concerns about the safety of the food supply are on the rise, and increasing nutritional awareness has led to an increase in vegetarian, organic, and health-food options in supermarkets.

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Why worry about Why worry about NUTRITION?NUTRITION?

• Obesity rates in America have tripled • Diabetes rates are increasing • Food portions are two to five times bigger • Calorie consumption is up 31 percent • 56 percent more fats and oils and 14 percent

more sugars and sweeteners are consumed • 1/3 of adults in the United Stated have high

blood pressure• Healthcare costs are rising

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RESOURCESRESOURCEShttp://www.ag.purdue.edu/USDA/employment/Documents/USDAEmployOp2010.pdf

http://www.ag.purdue.edu/USDA/employment/Pages/default.aspx

http://www.ag.purdue.edu/USDA/employment/Pages/science.aspx

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos046.htm

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20013938-10391704.html

http://www.faqs.org/nutrition/Diab-Em/Dietary-Trends-American.html http://www.fda.gov/

http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm237758.htm

http://fnic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?tax_level=1&info_center=4&tax_subject=358 Nanotechnology Video 10:42 minutes http://www.kqed.org/quest/television/view/189?gclid=CN3u78PVrqYCFRJY2godLwrNpA

http://www.kqed.org/quest/files/download/14/106a_NanotechnologyTakesOff.pdf

http://www.kqed.org/quest/files/download/73/212b_NanotechThemeGuide.pdf

http://www.letsmove.gov/

http://www.myfoodapedia.gov/

http://www.mypyramid.gov/

http://www.nutrition.gov/nal_display/index.php?info_center=11&tax_level=1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biotechnology

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macroeconomics

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanotechnology

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rennet