Employers' Perceptions of Recent Agricultural Communications Graduates' Workplace Habits and Communication Skills

Authors

  • Erica Goss Irlbeck Texas Tech University
  • Cindy Akers Texas Tech University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2009.04063

Keywords:

Employers, Perceptions, Agricultural Communications, Graduates, Workplace Habits, Communication Skills

Abstract

Agricultural communications programs should frequently review their curriculum to ensure students receive the highest quality of education possible (Akers, 2000). This research is a nationwide look at recent agricultural communications graduates’ employers and/or co-workers. The purpose of this study was to determine which workplace habits and communication skills are satisfactory and which need improvements in the opinion of co-workers or employers. Members of several professional agricultural communications organizations were surveyed (N = 88) in the summer of 2008 with a 34.1% response rate. The study found that employers and co-workers of recent agricultural communications graduates, on average, rated trustworthiness, easy to work with, and reliability as the top workplace habits, while creativity, common sense, and organization need improvement. Photo editing, page layout, and public relations skills received the highest mean communications skills scores, while sales, Web design, and news editing were the communications skills that could use some work.

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Published

2009-12-31

How to Cite

Irlbeck, E. G., & Akers, C. (2009). Employers’ Perceptions of Recent Agricultural Communications Graduates’ Workplace Habits and Communication Skills. Journal of Agricultural Education, 50(4), 63–71. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2009.04063

Issue

Section

Articles