Agricultural engineering is a discipline that encompasses both agriculture, livestock and technology. A person who is an agricultural engineer will be in charge of managing plant and animal production and caring for the environment. A good agricultural engineering student must have certain notions of biology, mathematics and geography.
In the following article We will tell you a little more about the profession of agricultural engineer and what job opportunities are offered to said professional.
What is agricultural engineering
Agricultural engineering is that discipline that will be in charge of using the different resources of nature and to be able to generate different foods that are going to be consumed by the population of a country. Therefore, it can be said that thanks to said engineering, the soil becomes productive, giving rise to food that will be consumed by people.
Thanks to the engineering career, the agronomist is able to get the most out of to natural resources such as land or animals. However, and although it may seem simple in theory, the practice is much more complicated. The university career seeks to provide students with sufficient knowledge and the necessary training to carry out such a task.
What are the main activities of an agricultural engineer?
The agronomist has activities in four different sectors: agriculture, livestock, industry and food.
In the agricultural sector it has the following functions:
- Manage the different farms where I work.
- Make a crop planning and optimize the different crops.
- activities to market the different products of the field.
In the field of livestock, it has the following functions:
- Take charge of the well-being of different animals in charge.
- Manage at the commercial level all livestock production.
- Attend cattle fairs.
At an industrial level, it will have the following functions:
- Control the operation of certain places related to agriculture or livestock such as greenhouses or farms.
- Carry out construction projects dedicated to livestock or agriculture.
From the point of view of food, an agronomist performs the following functions:
- advisory activities to companies responsible for marketing food.
- Manage places like meat warehouses or packing plants.
In what sectors of the economy are agronomists needed?
There are many sectors in which agronomists can develop their work:
- Public and private research institutions.
- Companies of various kinds such as food or chemical factories.
- They can act as self-employeds and devote himself to studying various projects, advising in relation to farmland or crops.
- Manage different productive projects that have in order to safeguard food safety.
What do you have to study to work as an agricultural engineer?
If a person wants to dedicate himself to practicing as an agricultural engineer, he will need to complete the university degree in Agricultural Engineering. Once the degree is finished, the person can expand their knowledge and training thanks to different postgraduate courses or masters offered by different entities. This career can be studied at the most important universities in the country and it has a duration of 5 years.
Job prospects for an agricultural engineer
An agricultural engineer can carry out his work as a freelancer or do it for other companies. The employment options are quite varied although it should be noted that the agriculture and livestock sector have lost considerable weight in the Spanish economy. The most common job opportunities for an agricultural engineer are the following:
- performing certain tasks in public administration.
- Participating in agricultural and livestock cooperatives.
- Showing your knowledge in the agricultural and dairy industry.
- Working in agricultural and livestock farms.
- doing activities in nurseries.
- Fertilizer industry.
- Companies of manufacture of feed or agricultural machinery.
In short, if you like everything related to agriculture or livestock, the agricultural engineering degree is ideal for you. As we have already mentioned above, the primary sector has been losing weight and importance in the economy of our country. However, there are many job opportunities offered by this profession. and many fields in which you can put the training received into practice.