Identifying the Professional and Technical Skills Agricultural Industry Employers Expect Agricultural Graduates to Possess

Through the lens of human capital theory, the Delphi technique was used to identify the most important professional and technical skills that agricultural industry employers expect graduates to possess upon entering the workforce. A panel of 23 agricultural industry experts provided the data for the Delphi study. At the conclusion of three rounds, a total of 52 items reached consensus, which included 18 technical skills (i.e. verbal communication skills, general knowledge of the agricultural industry, etc.) and 34 professional skills (i.e. flexible, accountable, relatable, etc.). It was concluded agricultural employers place a high value on many technical and professional skills that graduates should possess and this list should be used as a guide to evaluate current agricultural curriculum. It was recommended further research address how graduates are transferring these skills into the workplace.