1. Chapter Selection Chapter Selection Agricultural Careers and Supervised Agricultural Experience Programs (SAEs) Chapter Overview Supervised Agriculture Experience ProgramSupervised Agriculture Experience Program Career Options SAE Leads The Way To CareersSAE Leads The Way To Careers Types of SAE ProgramsTypes of SAE Programs First Steps For Your SAE ProgramFirst Steps For Your SAE Program Parts Of An SAE ProgramParts Of An SAE Program Start Your Career Search In AgricultureStart Your Career Search In Agriculture

2. Agricultural Careers and Supervised Agricultural Experience Programs (SAEs) Y ou have a big decision to make before graduating from high school. What’s next? FFA can help you make that decision. Through FFA you will learn about hundreds of careers and how to prepare for them, have experiences that reveal what kind of work you enjoy and don’t enjoy, and develop skills that put you one step ahead toward career success. T his chapter focuses on careers in agriculture and how they might fit into your future. SAE Rewards An SAE program helps you grow as you go. It’s a great way to- explore careersexplore careers find your futurefind your future motivate yourselfmotivate yourself build self-disciplinebuild self-discipline prove you can handle responsibilityprove you can handle responsibility gain experiencegain experience make moneymake money learn to work with peoplelearn to work with people and many, many moreand many, many more C H A P T E R S I X

3. Agricultural Careers and Supervised Agricultural Experience Programs (SAEs) More Than 300 Career Options Y ou already know agriculture is farming and a whole lot more. Agriculture is our nation’s largest employer. Close to 21 percent of all jobs in this country are in the area of agriculture. A griculture careers can be grouped into six agricultural career clusters: Agriculture and Forestry Production: working with land, crops, animals, plants, flowers, and trees; Management and Financial Specialties: ensuring a healthy bottom line for American agriculture; Marketing, Merchandising and Sales: matching customer needs to products and services; C H A P T E R S I X

4. Agricultural Careers and Supervised Agricultural Experience Programs (SAEs) Science and Engineering: addressing environmental challenges and assuring a safe, nutritious and economical food supply; Social Services: improving the lives of agriculturists and their communities. Education and Communication: sharing information and hands-on skills. Find out more about these career areas using the FFA Student Manual or the National FFA Online at http://www.ffa.org. C H A P T E R S I X

5. Agricultural Careers and Supervised Agricultural Experience Programs (SAEs) SAE Leads The Way To Careers A n SAE is a program you design to gain hands-on experience and develop skills in agriculture career areas that interest you. You choose an SAE program that lets you discover, explore, experience, and excel in careers. An SAE is not just another class assignment, you truly are in charge of your SAE! C H A P T E R S I X

6. Agricultural Careers and Supervised Agricultural Experience Programs (SAEs) Types Of SAE Programs T here are four basic types of SAE programs. Your SAE can be any one of these types, or even a combination. Exploratory Learn about the big picture of agriculture and its many related careers. Your exploration will help you choose to further develop another type of SAE. Research/Experimentation and Analysis Conduct research or analyze information to discover new knowledge. Expanding your agriscience skills positions you to enter a variety of agricultural career areas. SAE On-Line Find out more about SAE programs at the SAE Central website: http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/ agexed/sae/toolbox/index. html C H A P T E R S I X

7. Agricultural Careers and Supervised Agricultural Experience Programs (SAEs) Types Of SAE Programs T here are four basic types of SAE programs. Your SAE can be any one of these types, or even a combination. Ownership/ Entrepreneurship This type of SAE makes you a business owner. You plan and operate an agriculture-related business-one that is probably small at first but gets larger with time. Placement This type of SAE allows you to work for someone else, either for pay or the experience. Your placement may be on a farm or ranch or in an agriculture business, school laboratory, or community facility. You track your progress by keeping records on how many hours you work and experiences. C H A P T E R S I X

8. Agricultural Careers and Supervised Agricultural Experience Programs (SAEs) First Steps For Your SAE Program W ould you like to make your SAE program as successful as possible? Start now! The strongest SAE programs are started early in a student’s agricultural education experiences. Here are some steps to take now to begin developing your SAE program. -Check out other member’s SAE programs. Ask FFA members what they do and what they gain. Look for ideas at the SAE Central website, http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/ agexed/sae/ toolbox/index.html. -Use your imagination. Create SAE possibilities that fit your interests and opportunities. -Talk to your FFA Advisor about what to do next. C H A P T E R S I X

9. Agricultural Careers and Supervised Agricultural Experience Programs (SAEs) Parts Of An SAE Program Y our SAE program will be unique, but there are certain standard types of activities consistent to most SAEs. -Investigation: looking into possibilities and weighing the pros and cons of various SAE ideas; -Planning: deciding what to do and how, and setting your goals; -Coordination: communicating with your FFA Advisor, supervisor/employer and parents/guardians. -Record Keeping: tracking your achievements over time; C H A P T E R S I X

10. Agricultural Careers and Supervised Agricultural Experience Programs (SAEs) Parts Of An SAE Program Improvement Activities: taking steps to make your business, work site and/or community more attractive, efficient or valuable; Supplementary Activities: Practicing specific agricultural skills you learn in class by using them outside of class. C H A P T E R S I X

11. Agricultural Careers and Supervised Agricultural Experience Programs (SAEs) Start Your Career Search In Agriculture T he FFA Student Manual provides information about six career clusters in agriculture. For each cluster you will find sample job titles and a check list that suggests how your likes and (and dislikes) relate to these jobs. Chapter Selections www.ffa.org/careers/index.html C H A P T E R S I X