Careers in the Pork Industry

INTRODUCTION
Lesson Introduction
The Careers in the Pork Industry lesson explains the
relationship between education/training and career
opportunities. Specifically, students will learn about career
opportunities available in the pork industry.

Time Needed

Standards
NL-ENG.12.8 Use a
variety of technological and
information resources to
synthesize information and
to create and communicate
knowledge

Interest Approach:........................ 5 minutes

Content Delivery:.........................10 minutes
Job Profiler:.................................10 minutes
Career Planner Workbook:..........15 minutes
Review Quiz:................................10 minutes

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
After completing this lesson, students will be able to:
1.

Identify common perceptions associated with a career in the pork industry

2.

Determine how training and education affect financial and career options

3.

Identify different career options in the pork industry

4.

Synthesize collected information about a pork industry career into a formal evaluation

MATERIALS:
1.

PowerPoint titled Careers in the Pork Industry

2.

LCD projector or overhead projector (if needed, the PowerPoint slides can be used as
transparency masters)

3.

Enough copies of the quiz and activity sheets for each student in the class

VOCABULARY:
Associates Degree a two-year degree from a college or university
Bachelors Degree a four-year degree from a college or university
Career a profession for which one is trained and progresses through over a
period of time
Doctorate (Ph.D.) three additional years after a Masters Degree including performing
research and/or writing a doctoral thesis
Job a piece of work that is not necessarily assigned
Masters Degree two additional years after obtaining a Bachelors Degree
Task a unit or piece of work that is completed in a certain period of time
Technical Degree a one to two year training program specializing in a given area

INTEREST APPROACH:
Using the accompanied PowerPoint and the rsum supplied in this lesson plan, show the
Interest Approach rsum to the class. Inform the class that they are the human resource
director for a large swine operation. With you as their guide, analyze the rsum. Look at the
type of education, prior experience, and whether this individual is looking for a career in the
pork industry or just a short-term job. Use the Interest Approach to lead into a discussion
about the first objective.

TEACHING CONTENT:
Objective 1: Identify common perceptions associated with a career in the pork industry

There are over 300 careers in the agriculture industry.

Many of the agriculture industry career opportunities are available in the pork industry.
However, many pork industry jobs are vacant because of a negative perception of the
tasks and jobs related to the industry.
There are three main perception barriers associated with careers in the pork industry:
Low pay
A poor work environment
Employees only work with pigs
Explain to the students that people assume that tasks, jobs, and careers are all the same
things.
A poor perception can lead to incorrect training, reduced career options, and poor
decision making about a chosen career.
Task
A task is a unit or piece of work that is completed in a certain period of time.
Example: A swine production manager walks through the barn(s) every
morning to observe the pigs and check building functionally.

Job

A job is also a piece of work, but is not necessarily assigned.

Example: An AI technician orders all the supplies needed to artificially
inseminate sows.

Career
A career is a profession for which one is trained and progresses through over a
period of time.
Example: A veterinarian attends veterinary school to understand animal
biology and to be trained on techniques to maintain animal health.

Possible Teaching Method: Instead of using the examples as a discussion point, lead with the
examples and have the student determine which example are a task, job, and career. Make
up additional examples related to the pork industry if students are having difficultly
distinguishing between the three.
Objective 2: Determine how training and education affect financial and career options
Use the corresponding PowerPoint titled Careers in the Pork Industry to teach this section.
Make sure to address what may occur without a high school diploma.

Training and education are the key elements to obtaining a chosen career.
Training and education are divided into categories:
Technical Degrees
One to two year training programs from schools that specialize in a given
area
o Advantage:
Only take courses that are relevant to the skills needed
o Disadvantage:
Opportunity for advancement is limited, as training occurs
in one specific area
Associate Degree
Two year degrees from junior colleges and universities
o Advantages:
Allows you to obtain entry-level positions
Have the option to obtain a bachelors degree
o Disadvantage:
Opportunity for advancement is limited in comparison to
higher degrees
Bachelors Degree
Four year degree from a college or university
o Advantages:
Many doors are open to individuals with this degree
You choose a major, but can obtain a job outside of your
major area

Disadvantage:
To obtain the degree, courses outside the major area will
need to be taken even if these courses may not interest you
Masters Degree
Two years to complete and can only be obtained after achieving a
Bachelors Degree
o Advantages:
More specialized than a Bachelors Degree, therefore
courses are in areas of your chosen interest
Employers will pay employees more
Many opportunities for advancement
o
Disadvantage:
Since this area is more specialized, you need to select the
area you want to work in
Doctorate (Ph.D.)
Can only be obtained after a Masters Degree
o Advantages:
Highly specialized degree, in which individuals are the
experts in their respected areas
Many career advancement opportunities
High salaries are common
o
Disadvantages:
Takes a two to three years to complete after a Masters
Many school loans may be needed to achieve this degree
Money (Myth Buster # 1 Low Pay)
For many, the most important factor in considering a job offer is salary. So how
do salaries in the pork industry compare to salaries in other industries?
You may be surprised to learn that the pork industry offers competitive wages
when compared with the average salaries earned by degree among all industries
in the United States.
Some of the average salaries in the pork industry are slightly higher than the
national average for the degree completed.
In the pork industry, as with other industries, pursuing an education is a great
way to advance your career goals and quality of life.
As each degree level is obtained, the amount of money earned increases
Average Pork Industry Salary/Degree (National Hog Farmer 2005 report)
o No high school degree $26,700
o High school graduate $30,700
o Associate degree $34,700
o Bachelors degree $42,300
o

U.S Average Earnings/Degree (US Census of Bureau, 2007)

o No high school degree Men: $22,600
Women: $14,200
o High school graduate Men: $32,400
Women: $21,200
o Associate degree Men: $41,000
Women: $27,000
o Bachelors degree Men: $57,400 Women: $38,600
Many studies show that the more education you pursueand the more degrees
you earn the higher your lifetime earning potential. The more education you
have, the more freedom you have to choose a career in pork that meets your
salary requirements.
Variety of Pork Industry Jobs (Myth Buster # 2 Poor Work Environment)
You can find many exciting career opportunities in the pork industry that dont
involve working directly in barns with animals
The wide variety of positions truly covers an array of interests and takes place in a
variety of settings
The pork industry needs people to market products in the field, coordinate
workflow, and manage finances, and also run the numbers
There are many jobs in training, communication, and marketing
There are also opportunities in chemistry, science, and medicine positions such
as scientific researchers who work in labs and technical advisors who work in
academic settings
Variety of Tasks within Each Job (Myth Buster # 3 You Only Work With Pigs)
As stated earlier, careers in the pork industry cover an array of interests and
opportunities from working on computers and in scientific labs and academic
environments to working with animals or customers in the field
No matter what the environment, a career in the pork industry includes a strong
element of working with people
From the CEO to entry-level positions, people are what make the industry
strong and sustainable.
Most careers above entry level positions require individuals to supervise,
manage, and develop a team of people
Although producing a quality product is in the best interest of the consumer and
the business, many careers in the pork industry provide a variety of jobs tasks
that do not including working directly with animals or products
Additional Opportunities
In tough economic times, good benefit packages that include bonuses, insurance,
and paid vacation time run a close second to salary when many of us are
considering job offers
According to a recent nationwide survey of employees and pork
producers, producers are offering better benefits than ever before
The majority of employees surveyed felt that their salaries and benefits
were competitive with other job opportunities in the area

Opportunity for personal growth and development also becomes a critical factor.
The knowledge, skills, and abilities you learn on-the-job play a major role
in your ability to advance in any career or industry.
The same nationwide survey (mentioned above) indicated that the
overwhelming majority of employees felt that their job in the pork
industry provided a good training ground for advancement in the
industry.
The pork industry offers employees competitive salaries, benefits, and plenty of
opportunities for personal development and career advancement. There is likely a
perfect opportunity for you.

Possible Teaching Method (computer lab activity): Direct students to visit

www.pork.org/careers and click on the Job Profiler link on the left navigation menu. Once
students click on the profiler and follow the onscreen directions, they will prioritize the
work values presented (in order of importance to them) by clicking and dragging them into
the profiler. After completing the profiler, direct students to print their results to discuss
with the class.
Ask follow-up questions: Do you agree with the work values that revealed themselves under
your profile? Did anything surprise you? How do you feel about the career opportunities
that matched your values?
Objective 3: Identify different career options in the pork industry.
Use the corresponding PowerPoint titled Careers in the Pork Industry to teach this section
and provide activity instructions.

There are over 300 careers in the agriculture industry and many career options
available in the pork industry
In groups of three, list of possible pork careers:

Accountant Responsibilities include monthly journal entries, analysis, and

financial reporting

Agricultural Engineer Designs equipment and buildings

AI Technician Performs artificial insemination

Animal Caretaker Works with pigs to take care of their routine needs

Animal Nutritionist Formulates feed to ensure proper pig growth

Animal Scientist (specialization in swine) Performs research on pigs in a

number of areas

Engineer Provides direction to a department, area, or facility

Feed Sales Representative Sells feed to production facilities

Human Resources Director Hires and works with employees to ensure job
performance

Information Technology Combines technical skills with business knowledge to

develop business software solutions

Maintenance Repairs and maintains all equipment

Marketing Provides marketing and advertising for the company

Meat Science Scientist Researches meat quality

Medical Oversees the health of employees

Production Manager/Operator Runs the production facility

Purchaser Purchases needed items to run the facility

Pork Producer Owns/operates the production facility

Technician Provides daily care for the animals

USDA Inspector Inspects meat at the packing plant

Veterinarian Works with pigs and production facility management

Veterinary Assistant Works with the veterinarian to ensure pig health

Explore additional careers in the pork industry by watching a video of a grow-finish

farm manager
There are many career options in the pork industry and not all of them work directly
with animals one such career area is human resources management in which there
are several career options, such as human resources manager
This position develops and implements the organizations employment policies
and structure
Human resources management involves constant communication with
management, employees, and benefit providers, as well as working closely with
upper management to assure that strategic and organizational goals are met
Individuals can also work on the financial side of the operation, in positions such as
controller
The controller provides leadership and coordination of companys financial
planning, debt financing, and budget management
Sales and marketing is another opportunity to be a part of the pork industry.
The marketing department provides marketing and promotion for a company or
for the operation
A feed sales representative works for a feed company and sells feed to the production
facilities
Similarly, career opportunities in production, or individuals directly involved with the
swine herd, are always in demand. An AI technician performs artificial insemination,
while an animal nutritionist formulates feed to ensure pig growth. An animal
nutritionist not only works with animals, they also work closely with the feed sales
representative.
Additional career opportunities exist in research, education, and technology
A veterinarian works with pigs and the production facility management to take
care of the herds health

An information technology specialist combines technical skills with business

knowledge to develop business software solutions to track herd performance and
other data.
Although an agricultural engineer may not be directly employed by an operation,
they work in tandem with the operations management to design equipment and
buildings.
Refer to highlighted areas of the pork industry organizational chart (if possible, project
the interactive chart located at http://www.pork.org/Resources/OrgChart1.aspx
Now that you have identified possible careers in the pork industry, lets examine how
these careers fit into an organizational chart.

The different colors represent different areas within the operation. For example,
the jobs highlighted in light blue are mostly human resources related, while the
jobs highlighted in pink are mostly marketing and communications related.

Recall myth number three, which stated that individuals only work with pigs. This
chart shows that the jobs highlighted in red and yellow are the individuals who work
directly with animals on a daily basis and they account for less than one third of the
chart.
Its also important to notice the many different career opportunities associated
with the pork industry. As you can see, the possibilities are endless.

Objective 4: Synthesize collected information about a pork industry career into a formal
evaluation (use the activities titled, Career Planner to complete this objective)
Possible Teaching Method (computer lab activity): Students will need to reference their Job
Profiler results and the Career Planner Workbook . Students should take five minutes to
complete the Personal Values Inventory on page 2 of the Career Planner Workbook. Next,
while referring to their Job Profiler results and the results of their Personal Values
Inventory, students should take another five minutes to complete the Work Values and
Personal Values exercise on page 3 of the workbook. After completing the exercise, have
students share their results with the class and discuss answers to the questions which
appear below the exercise:

Is there consistency between your work values and personal values?

If not, how do you resolve the conflict?
How does this influence your occupational choices?

Dan Smith
smithd@iowastate.edu

Interest
Approach
Present Address

Permanent Address

134 East Main, Apt. # 55

2139 East 400 North

Ames, IA 50012

Denison, IA 51442

(555) 555-9876

(555) 555-1234

Objective: To obtain employment in a farrow-to-finish pork operation.

Education: Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, May 2007, Iowa State University

Work Experience:
Smithfield Farms Internship, Des Moines, Iowa (Summer 2006)

Aided in the formulation of feed rations

Mixed feed rations
Managed and ordered feed inventory
Administered oral and injection vaccinations
Record keeping

Smith Family Farms Laborer, Denison, Iowa (1998 Current)

Performed daily tasks such as feeding and watering

Disinfected and cleaned stalls
Operated tractor and other large equipment
Aided in the loading and transportation of market pigs
Assisted in farm tours

Activities and Honors:

10 year 4-H member

Iowa State Swine Club member
Block and Bridle club member
County Master Showmanship Award
College of Agriculture scholarship recipient
4-H Foundation scholarship recipient

JOB PROFILER
Directions
1. Use the Internet and the link provided to complete the computer
lab activity, the online Job Profiler.

Student Activity

2. Prioritize the work values presented in order of importance to you.

3. Be prepared to discuss with the class your work values and how they matched up to
pork industry career opportunities.
4. Print your results and keep them with you.

WEBSITE LINKS
http://www.pork.org/Resources/CareersJobProfiler.aspx

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Directions
Use the questions below to facilitate class discussions about work values and pork
industry career opportunities.

Class Activity

Questions
1.

Do you agree with the work values that revealed themselves under your profile?

2.

Did anything surprise you?

3.

How do you feel about the career opportunities that matched your values?

10

CAREER PLANNER
Directions
1. Use the Career Planner Workbook (or printouts of page 2 and 3 from the

workbook) to have students complete this independent activity.

2. For this activity, students will need to reference their Job Profiler results and the Career

Planner Workbook.
3. Students should take five minutes to complete the Personal Values Inventory on page 2

of the Career Planner Workbook.

4. While referring to their Job Profiler results and the results of their Personal Values

Inventory, students should take another five minutes to complete the Work Values
and Personal Values exercise on page 3 of the workbook.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Directions
Use the questions below to facilitate class discussions about personal and work values.

Class Activity

Questions
1.

Is there consistency between your work values and personal values?

2. If not, how do you resolve the conflict?

3. How does this influence your occupational choices?

11

Pork Industry Careers Quiz

Name: _______________________________
Directions: Answer the following questions by choosing the best answer.
Matching:
1. _____ Associate Degree

A. Takes two years after a bachelors degree

to obtain

2. _____ Bachelors Degree

B. Takes eight total years to obtain

3. _____ Ph.D.

C. A USDA inspector

4. _____ Job

D. An owner/operator requesting a

5. _____ Task

technician to check the feeders before

the morning is over

6. _____ Career
7. _____ Technical Degree

E. Training for a specialized area

8. _____ Masters Degree

F. A four-year degree
G. The production manager ordering feed

for the next three weeks

H. A two-year degree from a college or

university

12

Multiple Choice:
1. Which statement is correct?
A. After earning a masters degree, you are recognized as an expert in that chosen

field of study.
B. A technical degree may have limited career advancement opportunities.
C. On average, someone with a bachelors degree will earn more money than a

person with a masters degree.

D. All of the above are correct statements.
4. Earning a bachelors degrees creates:
A.
B.
C.
D.

More opportunities to earn a greater income in comparison to a lesser degree.

Less career options if you choose to do something else.
Fewer opportunities to earn an advanced degree.
All of the above are correct.

5. Which statement about a career in the pork industry is true?

A. Average annual pork industry salaries are significantly lower than the average

annual U.S. salary.

B. Average annual pork industry salaries are significantly higher than the average

annual U.S. salary.

C. Average annual pork industry salaries are similar to the average annual U.S.

salary.
D. Individuals working in the pork industry only work with animals.
6. Maria wants to work for a university to research pig behavior. In order for Maria to

achieve her goal, she should obtain which degree?

A.
B.
C.
D.

Technical degree
Bachelors degree
Masters degree
Ph.D.

7. Which statement explains the relationship between money and the type of degree

obtained?
A.
B.
C.
D.

The higher the degree, the less money you will earn.
The lower the degree, the more money you will earn.
The higher the degree, the more money you will earn.
The lower the degree, the more career opportunities you have.

13

Short Answer:
8. Select two pork careers discussed in class. Compare and contrast the type of degree

needed, the job responsibilities, and what the specific job skills are.

9. Pick a pork career (other than ones chosen for question 6) and discuss why you would or

would not pursue this career option.

14

Quiz Answer Key

Matching:
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Multiple Choice:
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Short Answer:
6.

Answers will vary depending on which two pork industry careers they choose.

7.

Answers will vary depending on which pork industry careers they choose.

15