Governor Ricketts to keynote York-NCTA ag kick-off

York, Neb. – Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts will be the keynote speaker on September 3 in York as a new partnership kicks off career readiness and agricultural workforce training of York High School sophomores, juniors and seniors.

New dual credit agricultural training programs are being offered this year by YHS staff, the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture, Central Valley Ag Cooperative and Reinke Manufacturing, Inc.

Combined with their classroom and laboratory training by YHS and NCTA faculty, students can gain work certification through internships with CVA and Reinke, said Mike Lucas, superintendent at York Public Schools.

“We are extremely excited to see the amazing things our students will do with this cutting-edge opportunity,” Lucas said. The partnership with NCTA is significant to readying students for careers in two of Nebraska’s primary industries – irrigation and agricultural production.

YHS students can earn NCTA certificates in diversified agriculture or as irrigation technicians, and potentially as certified agricultural chemical applicators.

“Nebraska agriculture has strong demand for skilled employees in technical, industry-specific jobs,” said Governor Ricketts. “This ‘Ag Track’ program can launch career-ready workers upon high school graduation.”

A year ago, YHS started an agricultural academy with Monsanto, Mycogen, Pioneer and Syngenta and is continuing courses focused on agronomy and agribusiness.

In addition to the keynote by Governor Ricketts, the Sept. 3 kick-off will include student and partner remarks and signing the “Agricultural Workforce Development and Career Track” agreement. The public is invited to attend at 1 p.m. in the YHS Theater, 1005 Duke Drive.

Ron Rosati, dean of the University of Nebraska NCTA, and Ron Yoder, associate vice chancellor of the University of Nebraska Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, also will participate in the kick-off event.