This institutional level reform of technician education project is focusing on agricultural and natural resource education programs at the secondary school and community college level. It is developing a strategy for improving agriculture and natural resource technician education programs within secondary schools and community colleges in Hawaii in order to meet the changing economic and workforce development needs of the agriculture and environmental industry; and to encourage more students, especially those from underrepresented student groups (e.g. native Hawaiians), to enter these fields of study.
The specific objectives of the planning phase are to develop a strategic plan for: 1) transforming agriculture and natural resource related education curricula within the community colleges and high schools; 2) providing updated professional development for instructors, including training in the new curricula that is developed as a result of implementing the strategic plan; and 3) facilitating partnerships with industry.
Implementation of the strategic plan is designed to 1) significantly increase the ability of these institutions to prepare their graduates to be effective technicians in the emerging agriculture and natural resources fields, and 2) increase the number of students, especially underrepresented students, entering agriculture and natural resource programs at the community colleges and eventually into the workforce or four-year university programs.
In order to effectively meet the workforce needs of the agriculture and natural resource industry, this strategic plan is being designed with input from industry to result in a more cohesive effort by the education system that addresses workforce needs and builds upon existing programs. This effort is transforming agriculture and natural resource technician education in Hawaii. It includes topics such as the following: 1) summary of the needed competencies for agricultural technicians in Hawaii, 2) description of educational pathways and their requirements, 3) description of the role of industry in these pathways, and 4) summary of the needed resources and a plan for obtaining them.
Intellectual Merit: The personnel for the project represent administrators and faculty at the community college, four-year university, and private sector. Members of the steering committee represent several community colleges and four-year universities within the University of Hawaii (UH) system, private businesses, and government agencies related to the agriculture and natural resources fields. Members of these groups are well qualified to provide input, based on their experience and knowledge, for developing a strategic plan for the future of agriculture and natural resource education programs in Hawaii.
Broader Impact: Increasing worldwide population, changes in approaches to farming and the increasing demands of consumers have created daunting challenges and a wide range of career opportunities and challenges for the next generation of graduates from universities and colleges that specialize in agricultural related fields. The changes that result from implementation of the strategic plan will 1) significantly increase the ability of community colleges and high schools to prepare their graduates to be effective technicians in the emerging agricultural and environmental services fields, and 2) increase the number of students, especially underrepresented students, entering agricultural and environmental studies programs at the community colleges and eventually into the workforce or four-year programs in higher education.
