Future Workforce for America: Exploring Ecological Impacts on Youth Motivations to Pursue Careers in Agriculture

The advancement of technologies in the United States agricultural sector has created a demand for young and innovative workforce to replace the aging working population. While existing research shows that the majority of the youth are not attracted to the agricultural sector's jobs due to their low economic benefits, the motivations for those entering the sector are not yet documented. This study, therefore, employs the Ecological Systems Theory to explore the motivations for youth pursuing agricultural careers in the University. A qualitative content analysis approach was adopted by analyzing 45 video presentations by undergraduate students. The result showed that family influence through practical agriculture engagement, value for sustainability, and connections with educational institutions coupled with school activities and emerging opportunities in the agricultural sectors were the main motivating factors for youth engagement in agriculture studies. Our findings suggest the need to involve the microsystem elements in policies and youth agricultural program development to increase youth involvement in the sector.