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Youth Agricultural Skills Project
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The Youth Agricultural Skills Project, was undertaken by Penn State University, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, to obtain information on the nature of seasonal youth employment in agriculture in the United States. It has been estimated that more than 40,000 persons between 12 and 20 years of age participate for part of each year in the nation's agricultural work force. Yet little is known about these workers. What tasks do they perform? Do they possess the necessary skills and experience to meet the demands of their jobs and the expectations of their employers? Do these young workers have a future role to play in American agriculture? The purpose of this project is to address these and related questions related to the employment of young people as farm and ranch workers.
The project focuses on youth between 12 and 20 years of age who have worked in agriculture for someone other than their parents or legal guardian for 6 months or less in a , given year. A national survey of agricultural employers who hire these young workers will provide data for assessing the types of tasks they do, the extent to which the youth meet their employers' expectations, how employers locate these workers, and the characteristics of farms/ranches most likely to hire these youth. A similar survey of the young farm workers themselves will seek information on their reasons for choosing agricultural employment, how they heard about the availability of jobs, the nature of their previous farm experience and training, their satisfaction with farm/ranch work, and their interest in later employment in agriculture.
Analysis will describe and contrast the views of agricultural employers and their employees, provide data for developing a national profile of employers who hire youth in the 12 to 20 year age group for short-term work, and suggest deficiencies and strengths in the skills and knowledge of these young employees. Such information can not only inform farmers and farm workers of the current situation, but also contribute to the development of future programs directed to enhancing the capabilities of this segment of the agricultural work force.
In addition, the study will explore variations in the perceptions and employment responsibilities of these young workers and agricultural employers that occur by region of the country, type of farm, and worker age and background. Assessment of the bases of diversity within these populations will contribute to a more accurate understanding of the complexity of the nature of the role of young, seasonal workers in the agricultural economy
Additional information on the study is available on the project web-site (http://web.survey.psu.edulhostw or by contacting the principal investigators bye-mail directed to agskills@psu.edu.
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