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Neb. high school offers unique ag training program

York (Nebraska) High School, in partnership with the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture (NCTA), is offering a new dual credit agricultural training program to its students.

In addition to their regular studies, YHS students can work on two-year job certification programming in the areas of chemical application, diversified agriculture, or irrigation technology. Upon completion, they will receive a two-year work certificate from NCTA.

York High School principal Mitch Bartholomew says it is a unique program.

“We truly believe this is a game-changer for public education in some ways,” says Bartholomew. “Dual credit has been in high schools here for a while, but this takes it to another level, especially with that work certification.”

NCTA dean Ron Rosati says the program addresses several needs.

“For the students that we’ll be working with, it helps them find good employment. For our ag industries in the state, it builds a workforce. And for the population that we’re feeding out of Nebraska, it will ensure a safe and low-cost food supply for the future,” Rosati says.

AUDIO: Interview with Mitch Bartholomew and Ron Rosati

Central Valley Ag Cooperative (CVA) and Reinke Irrigation are also part of the program.  Reinke president Chris Roth says the irrigation training is important because irrigation dealers are having difficulty finding qualified service technicians.

“The issue is that because the irrigation systems are becoming much more technical all the time with GPS and remote monitoring and soil moisture monitoring and everything that gets attached to these things, that they get a little more complicated,” Roth says. “So they’re looking for more qualified service technicians all the time and we’re just having a little bit of trouble trying to feed personnel into those dealerships to do that.”

AUDIO: Chris Roth

Combined with their classroom and laboratory training by YHS and NCTA faculty, students can gain the work certification through internships with CVA and Reinke.