The consortium seeks to improve rural workforce development and agricultural education.
Glen Oaks Community College has joined the Community College Alliance for Agriculture Advancement, a consortium of rural community colleges that aims to strengthen the development of the agricultural workforce and agricultural education. Glen Oaks Community College’s participation in the consortium will provide its agriculture students with numerous benefits, including networking opportunities, research opportunities, and internships.
According to an article on Glen Oaks Community College’s website, Dr. Bryan Newton, the college’s president, said, “The Community College Alliance for Agricultural Advancement provides incredible opportunities for collaboration, research, and professional development that will strengthen our agriculture curriculum and prepare our students for careers in the ever-evolving agricultural industry.”
Among the benefits that agriculture students will enjoy as part of the Community College Alliance for Agricultural Advancement are internship opportunities with the USDA, the ability to participate in workshops and hands-on learning activities, and national conference attendance. The school will also be eligible for funding and grant opportunities that will help to develop its agriculture education even further.
Dr. Tracy Kruse, who serves as the Executive Director of the Community College Alliance for Agricultural Advancement, said, “Collectively, more than 50 institutions will come together over the next four years to transform agriculture technician programs across the country, integrating such things as precision technology, automation and robotics, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and geospatial sciences and expanding access. The Alliance will identify gaps in current programming, determine pathways and industry credentials, and help partner institutions to collaborate and expand programming and partnerships.”
The Community College Alliance for Agricultural Advancement is currently working to implement a USDA Cooperative Agreement, which will expand membership availability throughout the country, as well as provide career pathway opportunities to the USDA.
For more information about Glen Oaks Community College, visit the school’s website.