Analyzing the college educated workforce needs of Georiga’s agribusiness industry

Abstract

The demand for college educated employees continues to grow throughout many sectors of the economy including the agribusiness sector. It is important to the state of Georgia that the University System of Georgia is producing enough qualified graduates that have the correct skill set to prosper in the competitive agribusiness environment. This thesis utilizes a comprehensive survey to observe both the current and future needs of the agribusiness industry. Ordinary Least Squares and Ordered Logistical Regression models are used to determine which attributes impact demand for college educated employees. It is observed that very large and very small firms, the industry sector of government, finance & trade, and proximity to a metropolitan area all contribute positively to the demand for college educated employees in agribusiness.