** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THIS WORKFORCE TEAM PROJECT WILL IMPACT A MINIMUM OF 50 UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS FROM THREE DIFFERENT STATES AT THREE COMMUNITY COLLEGES, AND THREE HISPANIC SERVING INSTITUTIONS. THE WORKFORCE TEAM PROJECT'S GOAL IS TO EXPAND THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WILLING TO WORK IN THE MEAT AND POULTRY INDUSTRIES THROUGH EXTENSIVE MENTORSHIP, HANDS-ON AND ONLINE TRAINING/CERTIFICATION, AND EXPOSURE TO MEAT INDUSTRY WORKING ENVIRONMENTS BY ESTABLISHING INTERCOLLEGIATE MEAT JUDGING PROGRAMS AT COMMUNITY COLLEGES WHO HAVE HAD NO PRIOR HISTORY OF MEATS JUDGING PROGRAMS OR HAVEN'T HAD A PROGRAM IN DECADES AS WELL AS PROVIDING CERTIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARTICIPANTS. THIS PROJECT WILL EMPHASIZE ON TRAINING STUDENTS ABOUT ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS OF BEEF, PORK AND LAMB CARCASSES AND WHOLESALE CUTS WHILE FURTHER DEVELOPING THEIR SOFT SKILLS THAT ARE VALUED BY EMPLOYERS. THE FOUR OBJECTIVES ARE 1) EXPAND THE NUMBER OF MEAT WORKFORCE TRAINING PROGRAMS AT COMMUNITY COLLEGES TO CREATE A PIPELINE OF MEAT WORKERS AT TARGETED LOCATIONS (TX, CA, NM); 2) INCREASE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS AT COMMUNITY COLLEGES RECEIVING MEAT INDUSTRY RELATED CERTIFICATIONS; 3) ENCOURAGE CAREERS WITHIN USDA PERTAINING TO MEAT; AND 4) BOLSTER STUDENT CONFIDENCE IN THEIR ABILITY TO OBTAIN CAREERS IN THE MEAT INDUSTRY. THROUGH INTERCOLLEGIATE MEAT JUDGING AND OBTAINING MEAT INDUSTRY CERTIFICATIONS THE PARTICIPANTS WILL HAVE COMPETITIVE RESUMES AS EMPLOYERS IN THE MEAT INDUSTRY KNOW THE VALUE OF BOTH.