Farm work and caring for animals is useful experience for agricultural technicians. Previous work in a horticultural environment such as fruit picking is useful experience for horticultural technicians. Agricultural technicians may deal with acids, needles and scalpels, so they need to be aware of health and safety precautions and procedures. Research is also becoming more commercially focused and there is a greater need for the research to be of value in the market place. A greater knowledge of genetics and molecular biology is also required as further breakthroughs in science lead to a greater understanding of the way plants and crops work.
Staff tend to stay in their positions because there are limited opportunities to change employers.