FAYETTEVILLE - Demand for poultry science graduates has the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff collaborating with the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville to create a poultry science partnership.
The two schools developed a curriculum that allows students from the School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences at UAPB to complete their senior year at the Dale Bumpers College of Agriculture, Food and Life Sciences at UA. Students who complete their coursework at UA will earn a Poultry Science Undergraduate Certificate of Excellence, and completed hours will count toward degree requirements for graduation from UAPB.
In the past year, large poultry producers, including Tyson Foods Inc. in Springdale, have indicated a demand for poultry science graduates. The two universities came together to develop a unified curriculum that would immerse the students in the industry.
“We typically hire graduates with degrees in poultry science, animal science and meat science for research and development positions, and there are opportunities for graduates with all manner of degrees who want to work in the agriculture industry,” Tyson spokesman Worth Sparkman wrote in an email.
Spokesmen for the universities and local poultry producers said there are more jobs than there are qualified applicants.
“We typically have 30 to 40 percent of all poultry science graduates go into the poultry industry,” said Mike Kidd, director for the center of poultry science at UA. He added the remainder is divided between the allied poultry industry, graduate school and pre-professional school.
UAPB Chancellor Laurence Alexander said the partnership will provide a great advantage to UAPB students who want to go into poultry sciences. “I think it gives an undergraduate who is interested in poultry-sciences specialization the training and readiness for the poultry market and industry,” he said.
Kidd agreed. “UAPB has a whole population of students we could never get into the poultry industry, but through the partnership they can get real-world experience as seniors to be ready to go in after graduation,” he said.
The agreement between the two colleges was signed Sept. 13, and students who meet requirements to enter into the program could begin taking coursework at UA as early as next spring.
“We hope that in the year, students that come to Fayetteville will become completely immersed in the industry, and once they are linked with companies in [northwest Arkansas], it’s going to be a direct tie to the market,” Kidd said.
Business, Pages 31 on 09/21/2013