In partnership with UC ANR and Arken, FoundationCCC is scaling innovative, workforce-aligned ag programs across four California community colleges

SACRAMENTO, CA — The Foundation for California Community Colleges (FoundationCCC) has been awarded a $3 million grant from the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) as part of the California Jobs First’s Regional Investment Initiative. This investment will support the statewide expansion of the Ag Skills Training and Employment Program (AgSTEP), bringing industry-aligned agtech certifications to new regions and connecting students to high-quality jobs in the agricultural sector.

With this funding, the AgSTEP program will scale from its initial success in the Central Valley to include Shasta College, Hartnell College, and Imperial Valley College, with Merced College launching a pilot associate degree pathway. These programs will leverage credit for prior learning and competency-based education to ensure greater accessibility and workforce relevance for students across California.

“AgSTEP connects students directly to good-paying, future-ready jobs in agriculture by aligning education with the realities of today’s farms,” said Jeffrey Clary, Senior Director of Climate Strategies at FoundationCCC. “With this investment, we can now take a successful model statewide, expanding opportunity for learners, meeting the needs of employers, and strengthening rural economies.”

Merced College’s associate degree pathway will build on the success of existing agtech certifications. The new offering aims to create a more comprehensive, stackable credential that prepares students for leadership roles in a rapidly evolving agricultural sector.

“Merced College has been proud to lead the way in developing training programs that are upskilling California’s agricultural workforce,” said Cody Jacobsen, Dean of Agriculture & Industrial Technology at Merced College. “We’re excited to take the next step by piloting an associate degree that not only builds on these foundations, but also supports our students’ long-term career goals in a changing agricultural landscape.”

The AgSTEP grant is a sub-project of a larger agriculture innovation “cluster” led by UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR), which received $15.1 million to launch the state’s first coordinated agricultural innovation network and is part of $28.6 million in new Jobs First funding for California’s agricultural sector. This effort brings together nine food-producing regions to accelerate agricultural innovation, support entrepreneurs, and prepare the workforce of the future. Working alongside more than a dozen industry, academic, and community partners, the initiative will connect research, training, and commercialization so that farms of all sizes have access to the tools and talent needed to thrive.

The AgSTEP expansion also supports a key objective of California Jobs First: driving economic development through job creation, sustainability, and innovation. Through its partnerships with colleges, employers, and regional stakeholders, FoundationCCC is working to democratize access to agricultural innovation and ensure the state’s workforce is ready for the future of farming.

“By funding AgSTEP, the State of California is making a bold commitment to the people who sustain our food system,” said Karen Aceves, Founder of ARKEN Strategies, the workforce intermediary leading the design and expansion of AgSTEP across California. “When students, colleges, and employers come together, we create programs that honor lived experience, elevate skills, and open real pathways to opportunity. It is systems change in action, preparing Californians to be resilient, future-ready, and grounded in dignity. This is how meaningful change takes root.”

For more information about AgSTEP or to learn how to get involved, please visit https://www.agstep.org/.

About the Foundation for California Community Colleges
The Foundation for California Community Colleges works to benefit students, colleges, and communities by accelerating paths to economic and social mobility, strengthening communities, and reducing barriers to opportunities for all Californians. FoundationCCC is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization founded in 1998. It serves as the official statewide nonprofit organization supporting the California Community Colleges, the largest system of higher education in the nation. For more information, visit www.foundationccc.org.