Illinois Ag Equity Study

The objective of the Illinois AgEquity Project is to examine the extent to which existing agricultural education and workforce training pathways in the state of Illinois are positioned to serve the needs of the state while meeting the socioeconomic needs of local communities, particularly in High Poverty, Low Education (HPLE) neighborhoods. The end goal of this work is to inform research, policy, and practice toward the advancement of more equitable and effective agricultural education and workforce training systems for the attainment of quality AFNR jobs for socially disadvantaged residents in the state of Illinois. The Illinois Ag Equity Project is comprised of both education and workforce studies.

AFNR HPO Equity Study

The “Identifying High-Priority Occupations and Pathways for Equity in Illinois Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources” (AFNR HPO Equity Study) is part of the larger Illinois Ag Ed Study. The objective of the Illinois AgEquity Project is to examine the extent to which existing agricultural education and workforce training pathways in the state of Illinois are positioned to serve the needs of the state while meeting the socioeconomic needs of local communities, particularly in High Poverty, Low Education (HPLE) neighborhoods. The end goal of this work is to inform research, policy, and practice toward the advancement of more equitable and effective agricultural education and workforce training systems for the attainment of quality AFNR jobs for socially disadvantaged residents in the state of Illinois. The Illinois Ag Equity Project is comprised of both education and workforce studies.  

We are seeking seed funding for the present AFNR HPO Equity Study to collect and analyze job posting data from a large, comprehensive, national database (NLx). The objectives of this pilot project are to (a) Develop an operational framework for the concept of a High-Priority Occupation for Equity, (b) Understand the current and growing AFNR workforce needs in the state of Illinois, (c) Decipher the geographic opportunities of quality AFNR jobs in Illinois and the extent to which the geographic dispersal of these opportunities have changed over time, and (d) Establish a list of in-demand skills, certifications, licenses, and experiences that are complementary or alternative to formal secondary and postsecondary educational entry points into quality AFNR jobs in Illinois, and their providers. The AFNR HPO Equity Study will lay the foundation for the cultivation of a targeted list of ANFR jobs in Illinois which are in-demand and growing, provide a living wage and are geographically accessible to residents of High-Poverty, Low Education neighborhoods.

AFNR HPO Equity Study

We are developing an operational framework known as the High-Priority Occupations for Workforce Equity Framework (see Figure 1) to guide our efforts in this study. Our framework will strengthen scientific and theoretical knowledge base in the fields of agriculture, education, and labor relations and will position us to join important conversations at state and federal levels regarding workforce equity and effective workforce pathways.