Performing Department
Agriculture
Non Technical Summary
This grant will be used to fund the primary instructor for the TVCC Viticulture program offering a two-year Associate of Applied Science degree in Vineyard Management. This program was designed to serve the emerging wine and table grape industry in the Snake River American Viticulture Area (AVA) located in Southeast Oregon and Southwest Idaho. The TVCC Viticulture program will provide educational opportunities to an underrepresented population of workers, which will create employment advancement opportunities in vineyard management. Our existing articulation agreements with local high schools provide a Career Pathway for students in the area of Horticulture/Viticulture beginning in high school and continuing through the post secondary level. The partnership with Chemeketa Community College offers distance education in the areas of both Wine Making and Wine Marketing and will provide additional opportunities for student advancement and expand the diversity of the workforce. TVCC's history of collaboration with Oregon State University provides educational opportunities for those students interested in continuing on to the baccalaureate level. Success will be measured by the number of students earning a post-secondary degree in viticulture; program participants obtaining employment in the industry; as well as those continuing on to a baccalaureate program.
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
100%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
c. Products, Results, and Measurable Outcomes Products: 1. Employment of a dedicated instructor teaching a full-load (15 credits/quarter) allows the program to be offered on a full-time basis and Viticulture majors would be eligible for full federal financial aid. 2. Strengthened collaboration with area high school partners, community college faculty and partners, and university partners and industry. 3. Increased recruiting of students interested in the Viticulture industry. 4. Increased TVCC Viticulture Program recognition. Results: 1. TVCC Viticulture program will be firmly established full time in the community. 2. Minimum of 12 full-time students per year will be working through the 2 year program offerings and graduating. Measurable Outcomes/Impact: 1. A trained workforce for the emerging Table and Wine Grape industry. 2. Workers trained to the local semi-arid region of Eastern Oregon and Southwestern Idaho. 3. Students have the opportunity to work in their home region while continuing their education. 4. Standard of living will increase for the Viticulture workforce.
Project Methods
2. Proposed Approach and Cooperative Linkages a. Plan of Operation and Methodology The primary objective of this project is to provide post-secondary educational opportunities in table and wine grape production in the Western Treasure Valley. Currently, the TVCC Viticulture program is utilizing adjunct professors to offer the initial courses. While this process has enabled TVCC to begin to offer training in spite of the challenging economy; it is not the most efficient process for building a sustainable program. The staffing of a full-time instructor through the use of these grant funds will provide a dedicated employee that can focus on building program enrollment and increasing industry partnerships so that the program can become self-supporting. The full-time Viticulture instructor will join the Agriculture Department at TVCC and will immediately begin working with high school partners, other community college faculty and partners, university partners, and industry to firmly establish the TVCC program in the area. In essence, the Viticulture instructor funded through this grant will become "the face and the voice" for viticulture training throughout the TVCC region and the Snake River Valley AVA. Timetable Product Information Date Advertise for Instructor Pending funding announcement 5/1/10 Instructor Hired Contract offered, Instructor Begins 8/1/10 Program Offering Full Viticulture Course Offering 9/2010 Program Completers Students complete 2-Year Viticulture AAS 6/2012 Evaluation Conduct data evaluation on program participants and curriculum 8/2012