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A statewide college recently was recognized for its affordable, high-quality programs that support career development skills in production agriculture, agribusiness and technical trades, a high priority throughout Nebraska.

The national business magazine Forbes recently placed the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture at Curtis, one of the jewels in the University of Nebraska system, on its list of Top 30 Trade Schools in the United States.

NCTA Dean Ron Rosati said the colleges performance was based on academic quality, affordability and graduate earnings.

NCTA is gaining notice for its expanded programs in welding, irrigation technology, precision agriculture, veterinary science, animal science and experiential learning.

I have enjoyed serving on the NCTA Deans Advisory Council for 16 years, and witnessing tremendous expansion in programs and opportunities. I also have a vested interest as a tuition-providing parent of two children who attended NCTA.

Traditionally, the college provides a two-year associate degree program. More recently, it added two-semester certificates for welding and irrigation technicians.

Meanwhile, transfer options to four-year institutions have never been better, including with UNLs College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.

Animal Science and Agricultural Education Division Chairman Doug Smith reports a record number (16) of NCTAs May graduates plan to complete four-year degrees, including 13 who will start fall classes at CASNR. Two are UNL-bound in veterinary medicine or technology, and there are three each in agronomy, animal science, ag business and ag education.

The two-year NCTA Agricultural Education Program helps to fill a void for FFA-agricultural education programs. Smith says three of his NCTA graduates will be teaching in Nebraska high schools this fall.

Additionally, NCTA and CASNR recently announced a bachelor of applied science program that allows NCTA graduates to take online classes through CASNR with oversight by NCTA on campus or by commuting to Curtis.

This initiative allows students to work at farms, ranches or in other agricultural careers in central or western Nebraska without setting foot in Lincoln. What an outstanding opportunity!

Certified technicians are graduating from NCTA with majors in veterinary technology, irrigation technology and welding. Nebraska has the greatest number of center pivot irrigation manufacturers and largest number of irrigated acres, so its industries have strong demand for a trained workforce in electricity, welding, and ag equipment maintenance and repairs.

NCTA launched irrigation technician training in 2013. By 2016, the college had partnered with several ag cooperatives and industries to develop an ag career track in Nebraska high schools to include classes in diversified agriculture and agricultural chemical applications.

The first two graduates of the dual-credit program at York High School this May earned NCTA certificates in agricultural chemical applications. One will enter NCTA in August with one year of college credits.

Agronomy professor Brad Ramsdale has been teaching students in agronomy and crop sciences for eight years, and established an award-winning crops judging team that repeated as national champion in 2017.

Ramsdale recently completed a two-week crops-agronomy summer program for honor students. Partnering with Educational Service Unit 11, he guided students at classes in Holdrege and a two-day camp at NCTA featuring its on-campus agronomy resources.

The day camps and dual-credit programs are among many NCTA developments in the past five years. Expanded programs include precision agriculture courses taught by Ramsdale and practical crop management courses in which students form teams to manage crops at the NCTA farm laboratory just north of the Curtis campus.

The teams decide on seeding rates, irrigation management, fertilizer applications, weed control measures, harvest management and equipment maintenance.

NCTAs ag equipment program was reinvigorated in 2013 and now includes an irrigation technology partnership with Reinke Manufacturing and a welding program that has produced its first student to be certified by the American Welding Society.

Instructor Dan Stehlik graduated from what was the University of Nebraska School of Technical Agriculture. The alum taught in Kansas ag education programs for 19 years before returning to the Curtis campus to teach ag equipment, welding and irrigation technician programs.

College alumni say they are pleased to see the welding program expand because of the high demand for welding technicians. Production enterprises also are seeking well-rounded employees with skills in crops, livestock, machinery or equipment maintenance and business.

Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District has partnered with NCTA on several annual forums, including regular tours of the Central project through the Nebraska Water Balance Alliance.

NWBA members have had opportunities to mentor and interact with NCTA students at forums that bring irrigators, farm managers, educators, vendors and the public to the campus Nebraska Agriculture Industry Education Center.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service recently conducted internal training sessions and the Unicamerals Natural Resources Committee, chaired by District 44 state Sen. Dan Hughes of Venango, will have a public hearing at NCTA in the fall.

My involvement with NCTA and its predecessor go back to when the South Platte United Chambers of Commerce advocated for keeping the school open on behalf of Nebraska agriculture. SPUCC has continually voiced strong support for the college.

NCTA has been re-accredited regionally by the Higher Learning Commission. The veterinary technology program is re-accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association.

As for affordability, fall tuition at NCTA is $127.50 per credit hour for all students, regardless of residency.

I look forward to seeing whats in store next for the hidden gem of a college in Curtis.

Tim Anderson is a public relations adviser to Holdrege-based Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District.

Editors note: Mary Crawford, external relations coordinator for NCTA, provided some information for this column.

The rest is here:
NCTA is 'gem' for higher learning in state - Kearney Hub

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