Perceived in-service training needs for Alabama Cooperative Extension System county extension agent

The problem of the study was to determine the perceived training needs for county Extension agents who were employed by the newly unified Alabama Cooperative Extension System in 1997. A questionnaire (five-point Likert-type scale) was developed to determine the perceived training needs of Extension agents and was divided into five parts: (1) demographics; (2) agriculture, natural resources, and forestry training needs; (3) family and consumer sciences training needs; (4) youth training needs; and (5) general and program development training needs. The population for this study consisted of all county Extension agents, district Extension coordinators, and directors employed by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System and Tuskegee University as of November, 1997 (N = 260). There were 211 usable questionnaires returned. Chi-square analysis was used to investigate relationships among perceived training needs and selected demographic characteristics.;For agents who had major responsibilities in agriculture, natural resources, and forestry, Production Agriculture was the primary perceived training need. For agents whose major responsibilities were in family and consumer sciences, Health and Wellness as well as Family Relationships were perceived as critically important training needs. For those agents with major responsibilities in youth programs, Communication Skills was perceived as the critically important training need.;No significant differences existed between overall perceived training needs of rural and urban agents. For agriculture agents in rural areas, however, Commercial Ornamental Horticulture was rated significantly higher. Home Food Production and Preservation rated significantly higher for family and consumer sciences' agents in rural areas; for youth program agents, Communiation Skills was significantly higher. In the general and program development area, the overall priority training items rated critically important were Technology Update and Using New Program Delivery.