SOFA Offers Job Shadowing Opportunities

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 03/01/2012 - 01:00

Speak Out for Agriculture (SOFA) has helped young people from Southwest Iowa pursue careers in agriculture for eighteen years. The teen planning committee is establishing an agricultural career job shadowing program for 10th-12th graders interested in agricultural careers.

 

Judd Martin, one of the planning committee members and a junior at Nodaway Valley High School, plans to take advantage of the program he is helping set up. “I really like all aspects of agriculture. I am considering pursuing a career in agricultural business, agricultural engineering, or agronomy. My goal is to use the program to explore careers in these fields so I can get a better idea of what direction I want to take when I apply for college next year,” shares Martin.

 

Signing up for the shadowing program is simple. Click here for an on-line application. The application asks for contact information, area of interest, how far the student is willing to travel, and what they hope to gain from the experience. It will take less than 10 minutes to complete and submit electronically.

 

Once an application is submitted, the youth will be matched with an adult in their field of interest to shadow for a day. “We have a wonderful network of SOFA alumni and program sponsors and supporters that we will be asking to serve as hosts for the students,” according to Deb Hall, who has been an advisor for the group since the program’s inception 18 years ago.

 

The planning team of six teens from Adair, Cass and Montgomery counties are also planning a career awareness trip for 7th to 12th graders. They are currently finalizing plans for the two-day trip slated for June 12 and 13th. Currently they have stops confirmed at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Case-New Holland combine plant in Grand Island, Nebraska. Area sponsors are still needed to help keep the cost of the trip low for all aspiring agriculturalists.

 

For more information about the SOFA program or the job shadowing program contact Kathy Rohrig at Adair County Extension 641-743-8412.

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