THE AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND NATURAL RESOURCES INDUSTRY HAS SEEN RAPID ADVANCES IN TECHNOLOGY OVER THE PAST FEW DECADES. THE USDA NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS THESE CHANGES ON THEIR WEBSITE STATING THAT, "TODAY'S AGRICULTURE ROUTINELY USES SOPHISTICATED TECHNOLOGIES SUCH AS ROBOTS, TEMPERATURE AND MOISTURE SENSORS, AERIAL IMAGES, AND GPS TECHNOLOGY. THESE ADVANCED DEVICES AND PRECISION AGRICULTURE AND ROBOTIC SYSTEMS ALLOW BUSINESSES TO BE MORE PROFITABLE, EFFICIENT, SAFER, AND MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY." THIS TECHNOLOGICAL EVOLUTION HAS RESULTED IN THE NEED FOR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT CAN EFFECTIVELY INTEGRATE THESE TWO WORLDS BY TEACHING STUDENTS THE SKILLS NEEDED TO UNDERSTAND BOTH THE AGRICULTURE SCIENCE BEHIND THE BUSINESS AND THE ADVANCED SKILLS TO RUN AND MAINTAIN TODAY'S EQUIPMENT.SOUTH CENTRAL COLLEGE IS ACUTELY AWARE OF THIS NEED AND IN RESPONSE, PLANS TO ALIGN CURRICULUM FROM TWO OF OUR MOST SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM AREAS--AGRIBUSINESS AND MECHATRONICS--TO CREATE A NEW 16-CREDIT ADVANCED AGRICULTURE TECHNOLOGY (AAT) CERTIFICATE. THE COLLEGE'S MECHATRONICS PROGRAM ALREADY TEACHES SKILLS RELATED TO HYDRAULICS, ROBOTICS, MECHANICS, AND SENSORS AND CONTROLS. THIS CERTIFICATE WILL ALLOW FACULTY FROM BOTH PROGRAM AREAS TO WORK TOGETHER TO ALIGN CONTENT TO SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS THE TECHNICAL SKILLSETS REQUIRED IN THE AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND NATURAL RESOURCES ARENA. AS A RESULT, GRADUATES WILL BE EQUIPPED TO RUN AND SERVICE HIGH-TECH EQUIPMENT SPECIFIC TO THE PRECISION AGRICULTURE. PARTNERSHIPS WITH K-12 SCHOOLS WILL ALLOW THE CURRICULUM TO BE INTEGRATED AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL AS WELL, THEREBY STRENGTHENING THE PIPELINE OF STUDENTS WHO ENTER THIS EDUCATIONAL AND CAREER PATHWAY.AS A RESULT OF THE AAT CERTIFICATE, A NEW EDUCATIONAL PATHWAY THAT ADDRESSES THE NEED FOR FARM EFFICIENCY, PROFITABILITY AND SUSTAINABLY WILL NOW BE AVAILABLE TO HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE STUDENTS IN SOUTHERN MINNESOTA. AS A REGION WHOSE ECONOMY HEAVILY RELIES ON THE AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND NATURAL RESOURCES INDUSTRY, PROVIDING STUDENTS WITH RELEVANT AND TIMELY EDUCATION IN THIS SECTOR IS IMPERATIVE TO THE SUCCESS OF OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES. BY EXPANDING CAREER PATHWAYS AND ESTABLISHING A QUALIFIED PIPELINE OF GRADUATES, WE ARE STRENGTHENING THE LABOR POOL, ALLOWING LOCAL INDUSTRY TO THRIVE AND PROVIDING OUTSTANDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS IN ALIGNMENT WITH SOUTH CENTRAL COLLEGE'S MISSION OF "...CULTIVATING STUDENT SUCCESS AND ADVANCING REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.$366,988
· FY2020 · National Institute of Food and Agriculture