TCFA Jr. Fed Beef Career and Leadership Program

TCFA, in conjunction with Texas AgriLife Extension Service and West Texas A&M University will host the 2010 Junior Fed Beef Career and Leadership program on June 28-30, 2010 on the campus of WTAMU. This program is open to any upcoming high school junior or senior who have an interest in pursuing a career path in feedyard operations and management and the fed beef industry.

This program is designed to educate the participants on feedyard operations and career opportunities in the fed beef industry. Students will participate in operation problem solving and leadership activities. Participants will also have the opportunity to engage in a job shadow program at a local feedyard following the conclusion of the program.

Applications and letters of recommendation are due no later than May 1st. Applicants for this event must be incoming high school juniors or seniors in the 2011 school year and at least 16 years of age at the time of the program.

The objectives for this program includes the following;

• Introduce all aspects of the fed beef industry with an emphasis on feedyard operations and confined cattle feeding;
• Build cognitive thinking skills through problem solving and leadership activities;
• Allow participant to interact with leading industry representatives and;
• Require participant to return to their local communities and participate in a job shadow program with a local feedyard and share new knowledge through local, county and/or regional programs.
  

The information is available on the TCFA web site at
http://www.tcfa.org/jfbc/FeedyardCamp.html.

This program is part of an innovative Extension workforce development program that resulted from the High Plain Livestock 2027 Conference conducted in 2007 that identified workforce development as an critical issue facing the confined livestock feeding industry. District Extension Administrators and County Extension Directors should ensure that County Extension Agents make clientele aware of this opportunity.

Content for this article was provided by Angela Burkham, Extension Program Specialist for 4-H and Youth Development-Texas AgiLife Extension Service.