February is National Career Technical Education (CTE) Month. The OCCA and Oregon's 17 community colleges look forward to sharing with legislators the impact community college CTE programs have on Oregon's workforce, communities and the state's economic recovery from COVID-19 and devastating wildfires. Each week in February will feature different CTE career/industry areas. Be sure to look for additional communication from your local community college about their CTE programs.

Miss one of the earlier CTE Month e-newsletters? See them all on the OCCA website!

This week features career areas in: Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources programs.

Agriculture
Oregon is home to one of the most diverse agricultural industries in the nation, with more than 220 high-quality agriculture products from 37,200 farms. Oregon agriculture directly and indirectly contributes 686,518 jobs, $29.71 billion in wages, $12.12 billion in taxes, and $2.85 billion in exports to the state (source: Oregon Department of Agriculture). Community colleges in Oregon offer robust programs in all sectors of agriculture to meet the state's needs. Careers in agriculture are wide-ranging to keep this important technology-advanced industry moving, from precision agriculture to agriculture business management to livestock production to viticulture.

Food
Oregon is second only to California in the number of agriculture products it produces. Community colleges prepare students for careers that feed Oregonians, from growing to harvesting to manufacturing to culinary. Oregon's diverse landscape means a variety of food can be grown in the state, along with access to fresh seafood along the coast and rivers. Community colleges give students the skills they need to keep feeding Oregon sustainably, from farm to table.

Natural Resources
Oregonians love the outdoors, and community colleges can help turn that passion into a career. Oregon's natural beauty is supported and sustained by careers in natural resources. To handle wildfires, climate change, and maintain Oregon's natural resources, community colleges offer programs and training for natural resource management, wild land firefighters, and wildlife/fisheries management.

Miss today's final Workforce Wednesday noon Zoom session? Click here to view the recording, which features Rogue Community College (Agriculture Mechanization Program), Blue Mountain Community College (Precision Agriculture with Drone Mapping), Chemeketa Community College (Wine Studies), and Treasure Valley Community College (Natural Resources/Wildland Fire program). Hear from students, faculty and business partners about what makes these programs special and relevant in their communities.

Miss the earlier Workforce Wednesday sessions in February? Not to worry! Find the recordings below!

• Feb. 3 - Health/Biomedical Sciences (Central Oregon CC, Southwestern Oregon CC, Mt. Hood CC, Oregon Coast CC)

• Feb. 10 - Business/Management/HR/Communications/Arts/Info (Columbia Gorge CC, Umpqua CC, Lane CC, Klamath CC)

• Feb. 17 - Industrial Engineering/Transportation/Apprenticeship (Clackamas CC, Tillamook Bay CC, Clatsop CC, Linn-Benton CC)

Blue Mountain Community College and Portland Community College (Rock Creek) have two of only three collegiate farms in Oregon! These working farms have livestock and crops that require year-round management, and students have the opportunity for real-world hands-on experiences as a result. And while not a farm, Linn-Benton Community College's 7-acre training and breeding facility gives students in the Equine Science program valuable hands-on experiences.

Taryn McAllister was in the right place, at the right time, to become Lake Oswego Hunt Club's next barn director. But without her associate's degree in animal technology - horse management, she may never have had the chance. Click here to read more about Taryn's journey with Linn-Benton Community College!

Central Oregon Community College's Forest Technology Resources program is one of only two in the country that is accredited by the Society of American Foresters. The curriculum includes ecology, conservation, surveying, dendrology, and fire science. Graduates of COCC's Forest Resources Technology program earn a two-year AAS degree and are well-prepared for employment in both private industry and public land management agencies. Job opportunities across the Western states include forest technician, wildlife technician, range technician, wildland firefighter, biologic technician, hydrologic technician, and engineering technician as well as most any other natural resource-related technicians. Click here to learn more!

When devastating wildfires ravaged Oregon in 2020, community colleges stepped up to help. After all, "community" is our middle name!
Linn-Benton Community College's Equine Science program helped care for 32 horses displaced during the Santiam Canyon Fire, and the college's culinary program helped feed evacuees. Oregon Coast Community College served as a shelter for evacuees of the Echo Mountain Fire. Clackamas Community College not only served as a Red Cross Shelter for fire evacuees and then a fire camp for firefighters, but also lent wildland fire instructors and students to help with the fires themselves.
Central Oregon Community College had more than 100 students on the wildfire lines, as well as six faculty members, and students from Umpqua Community College's fire science program also were put to work. Read a great Newsweek article here about students fighting wildfires. Central Oregon Community College's Cascade Culinary Institute also worked with Rogue Food Unites to deliver meals to Oregon wild fire refugees in Bend and Redmond.
Lane Community College's Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) program provided drone surveillance to help spot fire growth; its EMT and paramedic program students and faculty assisted with scheduling, volunteers, logistics, and medical direction on-scene and at evacuation sites; the main campus parking lot was utilized by fire evacuees with RVs and campers; and staff participated with the Multi-Agency Resource Center at the county fairgrounds to provide information and assistance.
Chemeketa Community College served as an Incident Command Post and staging area and camp for firefighters, providing facilities and food to more than 500 firefighters, many of whom were Chemeketa Fire Science program alumni or students. Columbia Gorge Community College hosted Mosier Creek Fire firefighters on its campus, while Mt. Hood Community College provided space for fire evacuees with RVs in its parking lots.
Portland Community College had 60 Fire Protection students, alumni and faculty supporting wildfire firefighting crews.

Raise a glass! Chemeketa Community College is preparing students for a thriving Oregon wine industry through its award-winning Wine Studies program. Many graduates have gone on to have successful careers with wineries throughout the state. Check out this great video about the program!

Report - After COVID-19: Building a more coherent and effective workforce development system in the United States - Brookings Institution, 2/24/21
TVCC still producing quality programming despite pandemic - Ontario Argus Observer, 2/21/21
American Jersey Cattle Association names LBCC, TBCC students to 2021 Class for Jersey Youth Academy - Dairy Agenda Today, 2/18/21
PCC's CTE, academic programs and partnerships driving economic recovery - Portland Community College, 2/8/21
More than 100 Oregon college students are fighting out-of-control wildfires - Newsweek, 9/15/20
4 ways workforce development is improving communities during COVID era - University Business, 6/22/20

Oregon community colleges serve their specific communities, and programs reflect the needs of their local business and industries. Check out the wide array of career & technical education programs that Oregon community colleges offer in this great video!