Extension

Employee Development seeks to serve professionals in Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service throughout their entire career. Beginning with Discover Extension, Extension’s statewide orientation, and 8-weeks of continued training at Connections Workshops, employees are setup for success with knowledge of the organization. Support continues through continuous learning opportunities, mentorship, and coaching programs, and more. Employee Development strives to be a one-stop shop for helping Extension employees achieve personal and professional growth.

Community is at the heart of our work in Extension. Without thoroughly knowing your communities it will be very difficult to be successful. Our work in this area is focused on working with Extension faculty to better know your communities and assist in the problem-solving process.

Our programs are our products. In such, developing programs is very similar to how products are developed. The focus of this area includes developing and implementing programs, volunteer development, and teaching effectiveness.

Various leadership programs are housed within the department. These include the Texas Rural Leadership Program, the V.G. Young Institute of County Government, the Texas Agricultural Lifetime Leaders program, and the SALE-Extension Leadership Program.  

The Governor Dolph Briscoe Jr., Texas Agricultural Lifetime Leadership (TALL) is a competitive leadership development program that includes seminars with experts, on-site tours, meetings with business and government leaders, international study and personal skills improvement. The TALL program is designed for men and women in the early stages of their leadership careers. Participants come from every sector of agriculture and all parts of Texas.

Learn about the TALL Program

SALE provides a comprehensive leadership development program that will enable Extension professionals in leadership and management to greatly enhance their abilities to work more effectively and efficiently in the management of programs and volunteers in both youth and adult areas. These skills are transferred to the volunteers, adult and youth to assist them in expanding their skills to reach more adults and youth in the country.

Learn more about SALE

The Texas Rural Leadership Program utilizes its network of rural service providers to assist local communities with strategic planning, vision mapping, and project funding proposals. This program puts power in the hands of local citizens through new knowledge, changed attitudes and dedicated skills by providing leadership development opportunities, customized programs, workshops and trainings for underserved and rural Texas communities.

Learn more about the Texas Rural Leadership Program

The V.G. Young Institute of County Government, part of The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, provides continuing education for elected county officials across Texas. The Institute offers continuing education for county judges and commissioners and county tax assessor-collectors to help them plan relevant and effective educational programs for their units. The V.G. Young Institute also provides advanced training and certificates through the Commissioners Court Advanced Curriculum (CCAC) Program and the Commissioner’s Court Leadership Academy.

Learn more about the V.G. Young Institute of County Government