1 DEVELOPING SKILLS FOR THE FUTURE: GRADUATES’ PERCEPTIONS OF CAREER SKILL PREPAREDNESS AND IMPORTANCE AFTER A FOUR-YEAR UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM DEVELOPING SKILLS FOR THE FUTURE: GRADUATES’ PERCEPTIONS OF CAREER SKILL PREPAREDNESS AND IMPORTANCE AFTER A FOUR-YEAR UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM Abstract Agricultural Education programs nationwide are challenged with producing well-prepared, career-oriented and competent graduates for the agricultural workforce. Institutions must continue to evaluate progress toward this goal. This study was a five-year (2000–2004) follow-up of graduates from a large land-grant institution in the southern region. The researchers sought to capture graduates’ perceptions of the skills necessary to be successful in the agricultural workforce. The questionnaire gauged graduates’ perceptions on two scales, their skill preparedness and skill importance in the workplace. The intent was for participants to respond using their initial job after graduation as a reference point. Overall findings indicate that graduates believe they were somewhat prepared for their careers, but they recognize the importance of being better prepared in the areas of interpersonal, communications, character, and computer skills. The Borich (1980) needs assessment model demonstrated that these four areas should be priorities for revision in the current departmental curriculum. Introduction The first charge to land-grant universities, when established in 1862, was to “... develop at the college level instruction relating to the practical realities of an agricultural and industrial society” (NASULGC, 1995, ¶13). In the 144 years of land-grant development, the face of agriculture has changed significantly, and colleges of agriculture subsequently were impacted by this shift (Manderschied, 1988). This shift was largely a result of the decline in U.S. agriculture production (McKinley, Brikenholz, & Stewart, 1993) and identification of agriculture industry needs over the past ten years has strengthened the argument to include non-traditional agriculture disciplines in colleges of agriculture nationwide (Kunkel & Skaggs, 2001; McKinley, Brikenholz, & Stewart, 1993). As colleges of agriculture refocused curriculum options from traditional agriculture needs to non-traditional agriculture disciplines, student enrollment flourished, yet employers maintain that graduates are ill-prepared for their first job (Graham, 2001). The variety of skills and competencies desired by employers ranges from the technical competence to interpersonal competence and includes leadership competence (Graham, 2001; McKinley, Birkenholz, & Stewart, 1993). The increased focus on “computer-, people-, and teamwork-related skills” by employers (Litzenberg & Schneider, 1988) has challenged colleges of agriculture departments, including agricultural education and agricultural economics, to examine their graduates’ skills. Over the past twenty years, agricultural education departments have sought to identify the specific skills and competencies desired by employers (Andelt & Barrett, 1997; Graham, 2001a; Radhakrishna & Bruening, 1994; Wachenhim & Lesch, 2002) and those perceived important by graduates in their first job (Byler & Lamberth, 1988; Garton, Robinson, & Campbell, 2004; Graham, 2001b; Osmond & Hoover, 1995; Radhakrishna & Bruening, 1994; Riesenberg, 1988).2 Whaley, Heird, and Pritchett (1994) recommended “an enhanced partnership between industry and academia ... and, if necessary, revision of specific course content” (p. 40). Riesenberg (1998) reported six areas where colleges of agriculture could improve upon curriculum: decision-making capabilities, accounting, business and economics, agricultural marketing, written communications, and oral communications and public speaking. However, at that time graduates did not believe that an emphasis should be on humanities and social sciences, nor on foreign language. In 1992, Texas A&M University agricultural development majors recommended changes including, more management courses, public speaking courses, and a sales or marketing course. Five years later, Andelt, Barrett, and Bosshamer (1997), confirmed employers’ perceptions of college graduates’ readiness. The areas identified by employers were communication (ability to listen and carry out instruction) and leadership abilities, including problem solving and team work. The highest ranked competency means were personal qualities: self-motivation and positive work attitude. Graham (2001a) researched the specific agricultural discipline of agricultural education. Her findings suggested that employers identified an inability to speak a second language as a weakness of current graduates, a drastic change from the graduates’ perceptions thirteen years prior (Riesenberg, 1988). Findings confirmed, however; the continued need for development in the areas of leadership, again including working in groups (Andelt et al., 1997). In 2002, Wachenheim and Lesch focused specifically on agribusiness, but yielded similar findings. The highest ranked means scores were people skills, written and oral communication skills, evidence of teamwork, and leadership experience. Foreign language skills ranked lower, but were the highest-ranked mean reported for individuals seeking international responsibilities. Garton, Robinson, and Campbell (2004) assessed the perceptions of agricultural education graduates on the importance of certain skill sets in their first jobs. They recommended modifications in course content to increase students’ “opportunities to analyze information in making decisions, interact with individuals of diverse personalities, define and solve problems, and gain an appreciation of cultural end ethnic differences” (p. 10). These findings provide a baseline for curriculum deficiencies, as identified by graduates from their institution. Zekeri (2004) found that former students’ perceptions of skills required by employers included oral and written communication, problem solving, motivating and managing, and setting personal and organizational goals. These skills were echoed from a number of previous studies (Andelt et al, 1997; Garton et al., 2004; Graham, 2001; and Wachenheim & Lesch, 2002). Competencies desired by employers change. Therefore companies increasingly seek employees capable of working in a diverse workplace and prepared for the global nature of business (Zekeri, 2004). This supports