A Demand Survey on the Priority of Agricultural College Students’ Core Competencies Required by Agriculturel Companies: A case study on G University

Abstract

Background and objective: As the agricultural industry becomes a more convergent industry, it is believed that the demand for human resources by companies will change. Therefore, a survey was conducted to investigate the human resources required by agriculture companies. Methods: In the survey on 77 agriculture companies, 98.7% of respondents answered that new employees with a college degree needed additional training to adapt to practical affairs. Results: The first priority of education was “community spirit” (22.1%) and the second priority was “convergence capability” (15.6%). The most important educational goal desired by agricultural companies was “cultivating human resources with community spirit and ethical judgment”, followed by “cultivating human resources with serious communication and problem-solving skills”, and “cultivating human resources with scientific thinking and unique creative imagination.” Sub-competencies that companies want agricultural colleges to strengthen were “community spirit” 4.32(SD=0.96), “desirable values” 4.30 (SD = 1.05), “sympathy” 4.28 (SD = 0.95), “convergence capability” 4.16 (SD = 0.88), “creativity” 4.11 (SD = 0.83), “civic spirit” 4.10 (SD = 0.91), and “rational/critical thinking” 3.94 (SD = 1.04). There was a significant difference in sub-competencies that require reinforcement depending on the number of full-time employees. “Creativity” was most necessary in companies with less than 3 employees (4.39), and 4~7 employees (4.33), and “aesthetics”” in companies with less than 3 employees (3.94), and 4-7 employees (3.61) “Civic spirit” was most necessary in companies with 31 employees or more (4.33). Conclusion: The most important educational goal desired by companies was “cultivating human resources with community spirit and ethical judgment”.