Career in Agriculture Engineering
What is Career in Agriculture Engineering:
Agriculture is the world’s largest and most important industry. Engineering is the input that permits this industry to produce our most basic needs. Basically the psychology and technology of crop production together with the relationship between current agronomic practices and the scientific understanding of growth and development of crop is agriculture engineering involves.
Important areas covered are water quality, surface and sub surface flow, animal environment and air quality waste and manure management, contaminant transport, resource utilization, machines system, safety and grain quality etc. New technology created by agriculture engineering has resulted in advancement in agricultural systems and products that are economical as well as more productive.
What agricultural engineers do?
With their main work revolving around designing agricultural machinery and equipment as well as agricultural structures, they are usually found involved with research in the areas of production sales and management. Often functioning along with life scientists, chemists and medical scientists on the engineering aspects of agriculture, they are also involved in research and development.
Agricultural engineers apply knowledge of engineering technology and science to agriculture and efficient use of biological resources. They design agricultural machinery and equipment and agricultural structures. Some specialize in areas such as power systems and machinery design; structures and environment engineering; and food and bio process engineering. They develop ways to conserve soil and water and to improve the processing of agricultural products. Some of the specific functions of an agricultural engineer can be enumerated as:
(i) Designing and manufacturing of agricultural machinery and power
(ii) Farm structures
(iii) Processing of agricultural products
(iv) Soil and water conservation
(v) Rural electrification.
Soft skills required in Agriculture Engineering:
The changing socio-economic environment requires that agricultural engineering graduates have a wide range of soft skills. These skills though often regarded as being trivial, sometimes spell the difference between success and failure of agricultural engineering graduates at the workplace. These include:
• Communication skills: Appropriate and effective writing, speaking and listening skills. Writing skills are important for agricultural engineering graduates to communicate their ideas and findings to the rest of the world.
• The ability to function on, and contribute effectively to the multi disciplinary team.
• Knowledge of contemporary issues.
• Presentation skills: Agricultural engineering need to partake in seminar presentations and public speaking.
• Problem solving skills.
• An appreciation of the value of life-long learning to achieve maximum potential.
Career Opportunities in Agriculture Engineering:
With great strides made over the years in the field of agricultural engineering, it offers attractive returns and better future prospects. Agricultural engineers are often hired as: the job titles of an agriculture engineer vary from (i) Designer (ii) Agricultural and bio-systems engineer (iii) Product support specialist (iv) Production engineer.
Besides, they can make career in Agricultural extension agents, Agricultural Climate Controllers, Agricultural Developers, Agricultural Structure Designers, Agricultural Machinery Experts, Agricultural Control Specialist, Agricultural Researchers etc. Agricultural engineer job opportunities will increase due to the increasing need for productive, efficient crop growing methods to accommodate our growing population as well as the needs of the renewable energy industry.
The growing interest in worldwide standardization of agricultural equipment should also result in increased employment of agricultural engineers.
You have the opportunity to specialised in different branches of agriculture engineering:
• irrigation • bio-processing, • Food Engineering, •Animal Waste Management • Agricultural Air Quality • Environmental and Natural Resources
Pay and Perks:
Entry level agricultural engineer salaries vary widely depending on a number of factors including geographical region, specialization, education and experience, size of the employer and additional certification earned.
Scope in Agriculture Engineering:
Opportunities exist in Central and State Government Departments of agriculture and agricultural engineering, agro-industries and minor irrigation corporations, watershed management and command area development projects, agricultural machinery manufacturing organisations, tea gardens, Technological agricultural industries, biotechnology research farms, Consulting farms, food companies, FCI, ICAR, CSIR, Educational Specialist etc. You can also be sales employment starting your own industries or consultancy services.
Rural sociologist, Regional Planner and a Food Engineer/Inspector can be other career choices.
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