Ag Pre-Apprenticeship for Students

OMAHA (DTN) -- A school district in Ohio is doing exciting things for the ag community.

Seventeen-year-old student Landon Miller enjoys the connections he's made with customers at Buckley Brothers, a feed and pet supply store in Morrow, Ohio, one of many recognized partners in the Little Miami School District's newly implemented agricultural pre-apprenticeship program.

Approved by the state of Ohio in May, Little Miami's School District's agricultural pre-apprenticeship program introduces students to careers in agriculture and encourages workforce development ahead of graduation.

In rural areas like southwest Ohio, trade work is vital for addressing skill gaps, fostering economic stability, providing critical services and maintaining core functions in the community.

In 2020, Ohio law enacted permanent graduation requirements for the class of 2021 and beyond which give students three pathways to graduation: state testing, industry credential and workforce readiness or college and career readiness tests. In lieu of taking end-of-course exams and state tests to graduate, students are encouraged to explore trades and prepare to enter the workforce.

Partnering with businesses like Buckley Brothers, Little Miami High School and Panther Success Academy students now have an opportunity to explore agricultural careers and opportunities, in addition to other industries available in the career experience pathway.

With the help and support of several partner agencies, the new agricultural pre-apprenticeship program informs students, like Miller, about the diverse career opportunities in agriculture and gives them an opportunity to gain hands-on experience.

PATHWAYS CREATE OPPORTUNITIES

Growing up in Morrow, Miller started building his connection to agriculture through friends and neighbors who invited him to 4-H programs, helping tend livestock and spending ample time on open land.

On the sales floor at Buckley Brothers, Miller enjoys continually building that connection to agriculture through customer service, becoming familiar with customers and their specific needs. He takes pride in studying products and working with customers on finding animal feed solutions, some that he recognizes from his 4-H experience.

"I've learned a lot of people skills (at Buckley Brothers). We're allowed to take [our own] approach to our sales, so my method is to learn our product as best as possible, find out what feeds fit our customers' needs and get feedback on what worked and what didn't work," Miller said. "In that case we might tweak the different ratios or ingredients and figure out what mixture works best."

Miller's work at Buckley Brothers is both a paid and school-credited experience, the best way to maintain his connection with agriculture and continue school, he said.

After this semester, Miller has decided to take a shot at another industry through the career experience pathway: mechanics. By making connections and envisioning his future, Miller was able to turn what was once a hobby into a possible career after high school, all while obtaining school credit and workforce experience.

"Growing up in this area, I've been interested in cars just as much as I've been interested in my friends' livestock," he said. "College isn't for everyone, that's why I believe this program is so important. You're able to build connections outside of school and get a taste of what you want to do as a career."

AG AS A PATHWAY

Miller was introduced to the agricultural pathway through his high school counselor, Traci Reilich, and Dustin Goldie, Little Miami Panther Success Academy educator and owner of Goldie Beef, a 21-acre farm that raises cattle and hay, corn and soybeans, depending on the year.

Goldie assumes a dual role in the community, a first-generation cattle farmer in southwest Ohio and a 23-year educator for the Little Miami School District. Within the last year, Goldie played a major part in the agricultural pre-apprenticeship's initial founding.

In its first official school year, Goldie said the purpose of the program is simple: introducing students to ag careers and helping them find purpose. Currently, the program enrolls nearly 20 students.

"Agriculture brings us together. This is an opportunity for every student -- for the ones who struggle or the smartest -- to discover agriculture and find purpose. This is agricultural pre-apprenticeship programs in Ohio and I'm excited for the opportunities ahead for both students and partnering businesses," Goldie said.

AG BUSINESS PARTNERS

Partners are essential to make the new agricultural pre-apprenticeship a success for Little Miami High School and Panther Success students interested in exploring ag.

These partners have taken an interest in the agricultural pre-apprenticeship program, opening doors and opportunities for students to learn and work in agricultural settings.

-- Buckley Brothers employs students and offers tours of its agriculture supply retail arms and grain storage facilities in southwest Ohio. With roots dating back to 1904, Buckley Brothers remains a family-owned operation serving Clinton County and southwest Ohio farmers with feed and grain storage solutions.

-- Goldie Beef invites students to learn about raising cattle on its 21-acre farm in Clarksville, Ohio, owned and operated by Rick and Dusty Goldie. The farm features a cattle barn, four cattle pens, a pond, creek and several fields. The farm grows corn, soybeans and hay, and sells grass and grain fed free-range beef.

-- Southern Equine Services is an equine veterinarian service that offers pre-agricultural apprenticeship tours of its equine facility, introducing students to equine therapy, careers in the equine business, and therapy animal pathways.

-- Findlay Market is a vibrant public market of small business vendors that sell high quality, fresh, local foods such as meats, fruit and vegetables, baked goods and more, at affordable prices. Students learn about fresh produce, the farm-to-market philosophy and entrepreneurship.

-- Lead Training is a workforce development program for students founded by Riley O'Grady. Lead Training partnered with Little Miami School District counselors to pair students enrolled in the agricultural pre-apprenticeship program to ag businesses and opportunities.

-- Cincinnati State Community College is the state-approved sponsor for Little Miami School District's agricultural pre-apprenticeship program.

-- Ohio State Apprenticeship Council operates ApprenticeOhio that provides oversight, support and registration for registered apprenticeship programs and apprentices in Ohio.

As the program grows, Goldie hopes more businesses see the value of the agricultural pre-apprenticeship program and help drive success home for students interested in exploring careers in agriculture.

"Farming isn't just working outside or sitting in a tractor and growing row crops. It's a diverse field especially in southwest Ohio where we have a mix of city and rural life, farmers, agricultural businesses, and a growing community that will continuously need workers for generations to come. We're excited to get more young people involved in agriculture in a program that's highly coveted and replicable for other schools and communities to implement," Goldie said.

For students at Little Miami High School and Panther Success Academy, this new agricultural pre-apprenticeship is one of many career pathways students can explore, designed to alternatively prepare students for the workforce and take it easier on tests.

"By completing career pathways, students receive a 12-point credential that allows them the alternative pathway to graduation," Goldie said. "Ohio schools are now turning to workforce development and giving opportunities to students who prefer to opt out of testing and gain career experience instead."

"This has been a team effort from the start," Goldie said.

Susan Payne can be reached at susan.payne@dtn.com

Follow her on social platform X @jpusan

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