While graduates in other industries struggle to find work, agriculture students have the pick of the crop when it comes to employment.

A study by the Australian Council of Deans of Agriculture showed there were 4000 graduate level positions available for about 700 graduates at the end of 2012.

College general manager John Goldsmith said many students were securing jobs at least six months before graduating.

"Our second year students have an industry placement as part of their course and a large proportion of them come away with a job lined up," he said.

"Companies are regularly contacting us looking for graduates they are in hot demand."

Mr Goldsmith said because of the demand, more students were studying agriculture.

"Our student numbers have increased every year for the past four years," he said. "We now have more full-time students than we have had in more than a decade."

Mr Goldsmith said the demand for graduates was more than the statistics showed.

"Anecdotal evidence suggests that there are even more jobs out there where the employers don't advertise," he said.

"So there are even more jobs available than we think.''

He said agriculture was more than just farming jobs.

"While lots of students end up in farming, many also do agribusiness," he said.

"There is a whole range of jobs, such as livestock agents and agronomists."

Mr Goldsmith said he believed drought and a shift in the economy were the reasons for the demand.

“Going back three years, we were just coming out of a 10-year drought, so there was a lot of negative publicity around agriculture,” Mr Goldsmith said.

“It takes a long time to turn that mentality around and advise young people to take up a career in agriculture.

“We are now finding the wheel is turning, especially because the mining booming is slowing down.

“Many potential agriculture students were taking up mining, because it attracts similar types of people – those who are practical and like hands-on jobs. 

“Now the mining industry is slowing, there are more people available to work in agriculture.”

Young people in the region learnt about a potential career in agriculture at the Longerenong College open day yesterday.

Mr Goldsmith said it was a great day, complemented by good weather.

“Numbers were up on last year,” he said.

“We have been constantly improving attendance the past few years and we had a lot of interest for courses for next year.”

Mr Goldsmith said it was a good outcome. 

“The Advanced Diploma of Agriculture was the most popular with students who are in year 12 at the moment.

“There was a lot of interest in agronomy and a Certificate IV in Agriculture.

“People were also inquiring about apprenticeships in agriculture and even wool classing.”