Challenges
- Due to the critical role of certain occupations, state and federal regulations require certification, licensing, or continuing education to maintain minimum competency standards.
- High-quality training and continuing education are essential for service providers and employees in the occupations with these requirements.
AgriLife Extension Response
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service offers numerous educational programs recognized by state and industry accreditation authorities for meeting continuing education and certification requirements. These programs serve thousands of people who render vital community services, enabling them to obtain or keep a job, start a business or stay in business.
Economic Impacts
AgriLife Extension directly supports 76,900 jobs in Texas, with an estimated annual wage base of $1.5 billion with its workforce-related continuing education and certification programs.
- AgriLife Extension’s Child Care Conferences directly support 300 child care businesses and 1,204 jobs, representing estimated annual revenues of $176 million and an annual wage base of $28.1 million.
- The federally designated Pesticide Safety Education Program in Texas directly supports 62,319 pesticide applicators in Texas, with a salary and time value of $1 billion.
- The School of Irrigation directly supports over 1,580 jobs in the landscape irrigation industry, with an estimated annual wage base of $49.5 million.
- The V.G. Young Institute of County Government directly supports 2,358 county officials, with an annual salary base of $130.9 million.
- The Onsite Wastewater System Management directly supports 46 maintenance technician jobs, with an estimated annual wage base of $1.6 million.
- Food Safety Education Program trains more than 6,600 food service managers and other employees, with a collective annual wage base of $169.9 million.
- Job training and continuing education through Beef Quality Assurance trainings, Feedyard Camp and the Feedyard Technician Program support 316 Texas jobs, with an annual wage base of $6.1 million.
- The Texas Watershed Steward Program directly supports 266 jobs in Texas, with an estimated annual wage base of $11.3 million.
- The Tax Practitioner Workshops directly support 1,503 jobs, with an estimated annual wage base of $118 million by delivering continuing education to tax practitioners.
- The Mosquito Abatement Program directly supports more than 700 jobs, with an estimated annual wage base of $28.8 million.
