94% of agricultural graduates find jobs
Ninety four per cent of surveyed graduates of agriculture degrees at The University of Melbourne were fully employed within months of completing their degree, a recent survey has revealed.
The survey, which encompassed former students from both Parkville and Dookie campuses, also revealed that graduates were employed in 25 different careers.
Dean of the Melbourne School of Land and Environment, Dr Bob Richardson, said that the full time employment rates for agriculture graduates, four months after completing their degree, compared favourably with a national benchmark average of 83.1 per cent, as calculated by the Graduate Careers Council of Australia in 2001.
"The speed at which our graduates are finding full time employment indicates the job market is very buoyant in the land and food industries," Dr Richardson said.
"The survey results also suggest our graduates, who have a broad-based science and management skill set, are in demand by employers.
"This explains why our graduates are employed in 25 different careers and have a wealth of career opportunities."
Dr Richardson said that graduate satisfaction with the agriculture degrees was also very positive with 86% of graduates indicating they would recommend the degree to other students.
With over one third of graduates employed in this area, the most popular career was in advisory services and policy, such as agronomists, animal nutritionists, veterinary support services, quarantine officers and field officers.
Nearly another third took up a career in agricultural production and management, including vineyard managers, farm managers and farmers. A large percentage of this contingent expressed aspirations to operate their own business.
Careers in business management, namely finance officers, marketing personnel, agribusiness, trainee managers and sales managers of agricultural products accounted for 14 per cent of careers.
Ten per cent of graduates surveyed were employed in science, research and development careers and research-based further study.
Four percent were employed in industries unrelated to agriculture, four percent of graduates were in casual employment and two per cent were seeking employment.
Results were based on surveys distributed to students graduating from The University of Melbourne. 76% of students graduating in Agriculture degrees completed and returned the survey.