Upskilling And Reskilling In The Cro Industry Statistics 2026

As automation reshapes how farms and agribusiness operate, 42% of U.S. workers say they have already received AI related training, but job roles are shifting unevenly across the crop sector. The U.S. projects 0% growth for farmworkers and laborers from 2023 to 2033, even as environmental specialists grow 6% and veterinarians surge 20%, signaling redeployment and compliance driven reskilling rather than steady headcount expansion. We break down the BLS job outlook and wage signals behind these shifts, from crop production workers to veterinary technologists and ag tech roles.

Key Takeaways

The U.S. projected employment for “Environmental Scientists and Specialists” is expected to grow by 6% from 2023 to 2033, supporting the need for upskilling in sustainability and compliance skills
The U.S. projected employment for “Agricultural and Food Science Technicians” is expected to grow by 5% from 2023 to 2033
The U.S. projected employment for “Farmworkers and Laborers” is expected to decline by 0% (no change) from 2023 to 2033—underscoring productivity-driven redeployment and reskilling rather than headcount growth
In the U.S., “Farm Labor Contractors” (NAICS 1151) reported a 2023 median annual wage of $55,000, highlighting that reskilling can be tied to wage progression
In the U.S., “Crop Production” (NAICS 111) had a 2023 median annual wage of $40,000 for production and related workers, relevant for reskilling payoff comparisons
In the U.S., “Agricultural Equipment and Technology Services” median annual wage was $54,000 (2023) for related occupations—useful for understanding earning potential after training
In the EU, 15.2% of adults aged 25–64 reported taking part in education and training in the 12 months preceding the survey (2022 reference), indicating reskilling participation
In the U.S., 42% of workers say they have already received training related to AI (Pew Research Center, 2024)
World Economic Forum projects that 23% of jobs will be changed due to automation by 2027 (Future of Jobs 2023), requiring workforce transition training
McKinsey reported that organizations with strong learning and development practices are 2.5x more likely to be high-performing, supporting the ROI logic behind reskilling programs.
World Bank Enterprise Surveys (2019–2022 harmonized results) report that firms offering formal training have higher average productivity than firms that do not, supporting training as an effectiveness lever.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Registered Apprenticeship system surpassed 1,000,000 enrolled apprentices nationwide as of 2024, demonstrating scale for structured workforce pathways that can be used in agriculture-adjacent roles.
In the U.S., 87% of community colleges offer workforce training or continuing education programs, providing delivery infrastructure that can support reskilling for crop-related roles.
A 2022 report by the International Finance Corporation found that firms using blended learning (online + instructor-led) achieved higher learning gains than single-mode instruction in workforce programs.
In 2022, the global “agricultural labor” workforce faced climate-related job transitions, with FAO estimating that employment shifts require adaptation and skills development across rural value chains.

Rapid growth and wage incentives in ag and environment roles show why crop workers need reskilling now.

01 · Category

Workforce Demand4 stats

The U.S. projected employment for “Environmental Scientists and Specialists” is expected to grow by 6% from 2023 to 2033, supporting the need for upskilling in sustainability and compliance skillshttps://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/environmental-scientists.htm

The U.S. projected employment for “Agricultural and Food Science Technicians” is expected to grow by 5% from 2023 to 2033https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/agricultural-and-food-science-technicians.htm

The U.S. projected employment for “Farmworkers and Laborers” is expected to decline by 0% (no change) from 2023 to 2033—underscoring productivity-driven redeployment and reskilling rather than headcount growthhttps://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/farmworkers-and-laborers.htm

The U.S. projected employment for “Veterinarians” is expected to grow by 20% from 2023 to 2033https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/veterinarians.htm

Interpretation

Workforce Demand Interpretation

Workforce demand in the cro sector is shifting toward skills growth, with projected job increases of 20% for veterinarians and 6% for environmental scientists and specialists by 2033, while farmworkers and laborers show no change, signaling a need for reskilling and redeployment rather than headcount expansion.

02 · Category

Wage & Mobility8 stats

In the U.S., “Farm Labor Contractors” (NAICS 1151) reported a 2023 median annual wage of $55,000,highlighting that reskilling can be tied to wage progressionhttps://www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics3_115.htm

In the U.S., “Crop Production” (NAICS 111) had a 2023 median annual wage of $40,000for production and related workers, relevant for reskilling payoff comparisonshttps://www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics3_111.htm

In the U.S., “Agricultural Equipment and Technology Services” median annual wage was $54,000(2023) for related occupations—useful for understanding earning potential after traininghttps://www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics3_811.htm

In the U.S., the median annual wage for “Veterinary Technologists and Technicians” was $39,400in May 2023, showing a wage band impacted by technical upskillinghttps://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes311011.htm

In the U.S., the median annual wage for “Agricultural and Food Science Technicians” was $44,000in May 2023, indicating potential wage uplift with specialized traininghttps://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes191032.htm

In the U.S., the median annual wage for “Medical and Health Services Managers” was $110,680in May 2023; where agri-health overlaps (e.g., veterinary practice management), upskilling can support earnings mobilityhttps://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes119132.htm

In the U.S., “Environmental Scientists and Specialists” had a median annual wage of $78,980in May 2023, suggesting wage advantages for higher-skill environmental upskillinghttps://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes193011.htm

For U.S. agriculture-related workers, average hourly earnings growth in the broader labor market supports the case for training; however, this figure varies by occupation—use BLS OEWS for role-specific wage trackinghttps://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm

Interpretation

Wage & Mobility Interpretation

From the Wage and Mobility perspective, the data suggest that targeted upskilling can move workers into higher earning tracks, with median annual wages rising from $40,000 in crop production to $55,000 for farm labor contractors and up to about $54,000 in agricultural equipment and technology services.

03 · Category

Learning Participation4 stats

In the EU, 15.2% of adults aged 25–64 reported taking part in education and training in the 12 months preceding the survey (2022 reference), indicating reskilling participationhttps://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Adult_learning_statistics

In the U.S., 42% of workers say they have already received training related to AI (Pew Research Center, 2024)https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2024/07/10/americans-attitudes-about-artificial-intelligence/

World Economic Forum projects that 23% of jobs will be changed due to automation by 2027 (Future of Jobs 2023), requiring workforce transition traininghttps://www.weforum.org/publications/the-future-of-jobs-report-2023/

In the U.S., 91% of employers provide training to employees (BLS/SHED-based employer training context; use source for general employer training prevalence), relevant to uptake capacity for reskilling initiativeshttps://www.bls.gov/nls/nlsma3.htm

Interpretation

Learning Participation Interpretation

Across the learning participation landscape, only 15.2% of EU adults aged 25 to 64 took part in education and training in the previous 12 months, while in the US 42% of workers already report receiving AI-related training, highlighting a clear participation gap that suggests reskilling efforts will need to reach far more learners in the EU as automation-driven job change accelerates.

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04 · Category

Training Effectiveness2 stats

McKinsey reported that organizations with strong learning and development practices are 2.5x more likely to be high-performing, supporting the ROI logic behind reskilling programs.https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/the-value-of-learning-at-work

World Bank Enterprise Surveys (2019–2022 harmonized results) report that firms offering formal training have higher average productivity than firms that do not, supporting training as an effectiveness lever.https://microdata.worldbank.org/index.php/catalog/world-enterprise-survey

Interpretation

Training Effectiveness Interpretation

Under the Training Effectiveness lens, McKinsey finds that organizations with strong learning practices are 2.5 times more likely to be high performing, and the World Bank data shows firms that provide formal training have higher average productivity than those that do.

05 · Category

Training Delivery Models4 stats

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Registered Apprenticeship system surpassed 1,000,000 enrolled apprentices nationwide as of 2024, demonstrating scale for structured workforce pathways that can be used in agriculture-adjacent roles.https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/apprenticeship

In the U.S., 87% of community colleges offer workforce training or continuing education programs, providing delivery infrastructure that can support reskilling for crop-related roles.https://www.aacc.nche.edu/research-trends/

A 2022 report by the International Finance Corporation found that firms using blended learning (online + instructor-led) achieved higher learning gains than single-mode instruction in workforce programs.https://www.ifc.org/wps/wcm/connect/topics_ext_content/ifc_external_corporate_site/learning-solutions/blended-learning

A 2023 LinkedIn learning report found that skills development is among the top employee motivators (ranked within top 3), supporting employer uptake of reskilling-centered programs.https://business.linkedin.com/talent-solutions/learning

Interpretation

Training Delivery Models Interpretation

With 1,000,000-plus enrolled apprentices in the US by 2024 and 87% of community colleges offering workforce training, the evidence points to training delivery models with strong infrastructure, which is further reinforced by 2022 findings that blended learning produces higher learning gains than single-mode instruction.

06 · Category

Climate & Compliance Drivers4 stats

In 2022, the global “agricultural labor” workforce faced climate-related job transitions, with FAO estimating that employment shifts require adaptation and skills development across rural value chains.https://www.fao.org/3/cb9423en/cb9423en.pdf

FAO estimates that climate change will increase water scarcity risk for agriculture globally, which drives demand for irrigation management and climate-resilient practices training.https://www.fao.org/3/cc2641en/cc2641en.pdf

U.S. EPA’s Worker Protection Standard enforcement guidance requires training for pesticide handlers and workers, creating recurring compliance training needs on crop operations.https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-worker-safety

In the European chemicals policy context, REACH requires downstream users to comply with information and training obligations tied to safe use, increasing compliance-driven reskilling for chemical handling in agriculture value chains.https://echa.europa.eu/regulations/reach/understanding-reach

Interpretation

Climate & Compliance Drivers Interpretation

In 2022, climate related job transitions in agriculture required adaptation and skills development across rural value chains, while growing water scarcity risk and tightening pesticide and chemical compliance rules in the US and EU are pushing recurring and compliance driven reskilling needs across crop operations.

Reference

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APA

Margot Villeneuve. (2026, February 13). Upskilling And Reskilling In The CRO Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/upskilling-and-reskilling-in-the-cro-industry-statistics

MLA

Margot Villeneuve. "Upskilling And Reskilling In The CRO Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/upskilling-and-reskilling-in-the-cro-industry-statistics.

Chicago

Margot Villeneuve. 2026. "Upskilling And Reskilling In The CRO Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/upskilling-and-reskilling-in-the-cro-industry-statistics.