AGRICULTURAL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS SERVE A CRITICAL NEED IN HAWAII TO DRIVE DIVERSIFIED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PROTECT AND LEVERAGE NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES, AND ADDRESS FOOD SECURITY RISKS. THE STATE OF HAWAII HAS IDENTIFIED THE NEED TO GROW THE NEXT GENERATION OF FARMERS AND AGRICULTURE ENTREPRENEURS IN HAWAII AS ONE OF ITS PRIMARY STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES. THE STRATEGY RECOMMENDS CREATING AND STRENGTHENING AGRICULTURE AND ENTREPRENEURIAL PATHWAYS IN SCHOOLS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO PREPARE STUDENTS FOR CAREERS IN AGRICULTURE. THIS PROJECT ADDRESSES THE NEED TO DEVELOP A TRAINED AGRICULTURAL WORKFORCE AND INCREASE SELF-SUFFICIENCY OF COMMUNITIES IN HAWAII TO MEET THE PRESSING CHALLENGES OF FOOD SECURITY, RISING RESOURCE COSTS AND CLIMATE RESILIENCY THROUGH AN AQUAPONICS EDUCATION PROGRAM CONSISTING OF A YEAR-LONG STUDENT-APPRENTICESHIPS, ONLINE LEARNING MODULES AND WIDE-REACHING COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS.AQUAPONICS IS AN EFFECTIVE FOOD PRODUCTION METHOD OF RAISING FISH AND PRODUCE TOGETHER IN ONE ENERGY EFFICIENT, RECIRCULATING SYSTEM THAT SERVES AN OPTIMAL, ACCESSIBLE AND SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL MODEL.CONDUCTED AT THE WAIPONO FARM AT UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII MAUI COLLEGE, THE PROJECT WILL DEVELOP NEW CURRICULUM THAT INTEGRATES WORK-BASED, EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO ENABLE A WORK-READY LABOR FORCE FOR 21ST CENTURY AGRICULTURAL JOBS. PARTICIPANTS WILL INCLUDE YOUTH AGED 16+ AND ADULTS IN HAWAII, WITH A FOCUS ON MAUI COUNTY, WHO ARE INTERESTED IN SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE, AQUACULTURE AND AQUAPONICS CAREERS AND COMMUNITY APPLICATIONS. THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF THE PROJECT INCLUDE ADVANCING KNOWLEDGE IN THE APPLIED SCIENCES IN AGRICULTURE; INCREASING THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS PURSUING COLLEGE AND CAREER PATHWAYS IN AGRICULTURE, WITH A FOCUS ON UNDERREPRESENTED, FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE-GOING, CULTURALLY DIVERSE AND NATIVE HAWAIIAN PARTICIPANTS; IMPROVING EFFICIENT USE OF WATER; DEVELOPING A SUSTAINABLE, CULTURALLY INFORMED FOOD SYSTEMS MODEL TO REDUCE DEPENDENCE ON IMPORTED INPUTS AND FOSSIL FUELS; AND BUILDING A NETWORK OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO SUPPORT A SUSTAINABLE AND RESILIENT AGRICULTURE SYSTEM.