-
Center Director, Jaime
Clarke, will be attending
industry specific
conferences and events
interacting with industry
partners. She will
continue to facilitate
professional
development for
faculty, support
curricula sharing,
and host industry
related skill
standards. Center
activities will include
the production of
comprehensive pub-
lications advertising
training opportunities
at Washington’s
community and
technical colleges.
The Center will also
promote education and
careers in agriculture to
the K-12 system through
student recruitment in
high schools and work
with college/university
partners on articulations.
The Agriculture Center
of Excellence has
re-defining its priorities
in 2010-2011. In the
past the Center’s
primary focus had been
on
connections
with
educational
partners at the
high school
level. While
relationships
with
educational
partners will
remain a
priority, the
primary focus
of the Center
has transitioned to
better serving the
community and
technical college
system and the
agricultural industry.
The Center’s target is to
aggressively pursue partner-
ships with the agricultural
industry, actively engage the
community and technical
college system, promote
education and careers in
agriculture to K-12 partners,
and assist in the development
of articulation agreements
with four-year colleges/
universities.
New Target in 2010-2011
Inside this issue:
Industry &
Occupational
Outlook
2
Agriculture &
Agriculture-
Related Career
Pathways
3
Comprehensive
Program Guide
4
2010-2011
Program Guide
Example
5
From the
Director’s Desk
6
September 2010 Edition
2010 Summer Quarter Newsletter
-
Washington Interactive Labor Market
In-Demand Agricultural Occupations:
Agricultural Workers
Biological Technicians
Bookkeeping, Accounting, & Audit Clerks
Computer Support Specialists
Environmental Science & Protection Technicians
Farm & Home Management Advisors
Farm Workers & Laborers
First-line Supervisor of Landscaping, Lawn Service, &
Groundskeeping Workers
Landscape & Grounds Workers
Veterinary Technicians
The Agricultural Occupations Quick Guide
will be disseminated to all of the WorkSource
Offices and Workforce Development
Councils across the state. It will also be
distributed to high school agriculture
instructors in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.
In addition to hardcopy distribution of the
brochure, it will be available on the Center’s
website under “Workers & Students”.
Data used to develop the In-Demand Agricultural
Occupations was retrieved in August 2010 from
Qualifying Occupations, www.wilma.org/wdclists/ and
Workforce Explorer, www.workforceexplorer.com.
During 2009-2010, the Agriculture Center of
Excellence created an Agricultural Occupations
Quick Guide, illustrating projected industry
growth and the top agricultural occupations
in-demand across Washington State. This year
the Center conducted an Agricultural Industry &
Occupational Outlook Report in an effort to
inform potential students about the opportunities
in agriculture.
Job growth projections for the agriculture and
natural resource industry in Washington are
strong. Data compiled by Economic Modeling
Specialists Inc., yields a 5% projected
industry-wide growth in Washington between
2009 and 2014. This is juxtaposed to the
national agricultural industry which is expected
to see an overall 3% decline during the same
time period. Washington’s agricultural industry
was estimated to increase in crop and animal
production, followed by postharvest crop
activities, and farm labor contractors and crew
leaders. The estimated industry growth
correlates to more technical occupations in
agriculture, such as Computer Support
Specialists, Environmental Science and
Protection Technicians, and Veterinary
Technicians which all appear on Washington’s
In-Demand occupation lists.
In addition to completing the Agricultural
Industry & Occupation Outlook Report, the
Center also updated the Quick Guide for 2010-
2011 using the latest information from
Washington Interactive Labor Market.
Industry & Occupational Outlook
Page 2 2010 Summer Quarter Newsletter ~
www.agcenterofexcellence.com
http://www.wilma.org/wdclists/http://www.workforceexplorer.com
-
Following an extensive review of the
data collected from the potential
students, it became clear to the
Center of Excellence that students are
unsure of the seven career pathways
in the Agriculture and Natural
Resources Career Cluster. In an
effort to clarify linkages between
related programs for students and to
illustrate the breadth of agriculture
and agriculture-related programs at
community and technical colleges
The Agriculture Center of Excellence
has supported the development of
education and career pathways in the
Agriculture and Natural Resources
Career Cluster. In the winter and
spring of 2010 the Statewide Ag
Recruiter visited 20 high schools and
collected contact information from
potential students including possible
areas of interest for community and
technical college programs.
in Washington, the Agriculture &
Natural Resources Career Pathways
Mind Map was developed.
The map currently includes the
7 career pathways,
the 25 professional-technical program
titles and the 22 colleges that host
agriculture and agriculture-related
programs listed by the State Board
for Community and Technical
Colleges.
Agriculture & Agriculture-Related Career Pathways
Page 3 2010 Summer Quarter Newsletter ~
www.agcenterofexcellence.com
-
In 2008, the Agriculture Center of
Excellence developed the first
Marketing Booklet for agriculture
and agriculture-related programs.
This booklet has evolved over time
to incorporate information from a
majority of the agriculture,
conservation, and renewable re-
source programs offered at commu-
nity and technical colleges across
Washington.
In an effort to equitably represent
all of the State Board for Commu-
nity and Technical College approved
agriculture, conservation, and
renewable resource programs a
new Program Guide is in the process
of being developed.
The new Program Guide has been
modified substantially to provide a
more comprehensive view of the
variety of programs available across
the state. In order to equitably
accommodate all of the programs
and produce a user friendly
publication, the guide will list
program titles alphabetically,
followed by the colleges that offer
the program in alphabetical order.
The Program Guide is
currently in the review
process, the draft text was
emailed to agriculture and
agriculture-related faculty
members on September 10th.
The initial text review period
will conclude on October 1st.
The final publication is planed for
dissemination by January 1st, 2011.
If you have feedback regarding the
Program Guide, please contact
Jaime Clarke,
[email protected].
Comprehensive Program Guide
Page 4 2010 Summer Quarter Newsletter ~
www.agcenterofexcellence.com
Faculty Network & Professional Development Opportunities
Participation in WACANE is a cost effective and
efficient method for agriculture and agriculture-related
faculty to enhance their programs and learn from
colleagues.
2010-2011 WACANE Meeting Dates:
September 30th 3-4:30pm (Elluminate)
December 3rd (Elluminate)
March 10th (In-Person)
June 3rd (Elluminate)
The Agriculture Center of Excellence facilitates an
agriculture and agriculture-related community and
technical college faculty network, the Washington
Association of Collegiate Agriculture and Natural
Resources Educators (WACANE). The purpose of
WACANE is to build relationships to strengthen
educational programs, disseminate information, and
share curricula. Through WACANE faculty are
provided an opportunity to interact with their peers
across Washington’s community and technical
college system on a quarterly basis.
View the 2010-2011
Program Guide
Example….
mailto:[email protected]
-
Comprehensive Program Guide
Page 5 2010 Summer Quarter Newsletter ~
www.agcenterofexcellence.com
2010-2011 Program Guide Example…
Agriculture & Food Products Processing
Industry Description:
The agriculture and food products processing industry applies
principles and technology associated
with the postharvest care of fresh horticultural commodities in
order to maintain product quality from
harvest through consumer purchase and use. Food commodities are
converted into quality food
products using appropriate production, processing, preservation,
and safety methods.
Job Titles:
Agriculture Inspector
Consultant
Crop/Orchard Production Manager
Field Representative
Plant Operations Supervisor
Quality Control Specialist
Food Technician
Yakima Valley Community College
Certificate & Degree Options: AAS Degree in Food
Technology
Contact Information: Trent Ball, (509) 883-7007,
[email protected]
www.yvcc.edu/ag
mailto:[email protected]://www2.yvcc.edu/agriculture/ag/foodtech.html
-
From the Director’s Desk: The Center has relocated
in the Technology Center
to Room 1102, the
mailing address, phone
and fax numbers, as well
as my email address will
remain the same.
The Center will be
welcoming a new Office
Assistant in mid-
September to provide
administrative support
while I am away from the
office attending industry
events and conducting
campus visits.
Summer quarter has
flown by and the new
school year is quickly
approaching. Faculty
have returned to their
offices and soon students
will be filling community
and technical college
classrooms.
As we begin fall quarter
the Agriculture Center of
Excellence will be
inhabiting a new office
on the Walla Walla
Community College
campus.
The end of September
marks my first-year as the
Director of the
Agriculture Center of
Excellence and what a
year it has been. I look
forward to the
opportunities and
challenges of the year
ahead.
Please, contact me with
questions about the Center,
[email protected] or
509-524-5192.
Agriculture Center of Excellence
500 Tausick Way
Walla Walla, WA 99362
Phone: 509-524-5192
Fax: 509-527-4572
www.agcenterofexcellence.com
Contact Us:
2010 - 2011 Educational & Industry Partners
