The Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications graduates more science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) educators than any other Texas A&M department, and these graduates are responsible for preparing the next generation of educated/skilled professionals, who are currently highly sought after in our workforce. In fact, our graduates reach more than 5,000 new high school students each year, so it is imperative that they have access to modern equipment and facilities.
Currently, our agricultural education teachers are being trained in an 80-year-old WWII commissary building on the RELLIS campus. The condition of this space not only limits our teaching instruction, but also our ongoing outreach efforts with agricultural teachers across Texas.
Our department has been given the unique opportunity to collaborate on a state-of-the-art Agriculture and Workforce Education Building with The Texas A&M University System and Blinn College. This facility is the future home of our department’s agricultural science program, which prepares and places agricultural science teachers into high school classrooms across the state of Texas, and Blinn’s academic and workforce training offerings, which range from advanced manufacturing, welding, carpentry and HVAC to plumbing, electrical and Blinn’s high-demand commercial truck driver training..
This partnership will promote effective and efficient training for the approximately 2.5 million new, middle-skill jobs – such as electricians, welders, mechanics, carpenters and technicians – that will be added to the workforce in 2017, allowing Texas A&M and Blinn agricultural students to study animal care alongside their veterinary technology peers or to work alongside welding students as they master agricultural mechanics..
Project Goal
The Agriculture and Workforce Education Building will offer our future agricultural education teachers applied skill development and enrichment in workforce education, including welding, thermal cutting (oxy fuel and plasma cutting), CAD modeling, carpentry, hydraulics, tractor and small engine maintenance, livestock equipment and handling, and greenhouse management.
The educational delivery process will infuse STEM principles within hands-on, skills-based learning activities.
Our goal is for our students to more effectively reach both college-minded and trade-minded high school students earlier in their high school education, so that more high school students enter vocational or workforce education programs after graduation better prepared for a career in a specialized professional/skilled trade.
Lab Space
The Agriculture and Workforce Education Building will consist of the following enrichment center and classroom space:
- Welding and Carpentry Labs
- High Impact Flexible Use STEM Lab”]
- Painting Room
- CAD Lab
- Classrooms
- Wet Labs
- Demonstration Rooms
- Multi-Purpose Space
- Outdoor Demo Area
- Greenhouse
- Livestock Handling Facilities
Project Cost
The approximate 38,000 sf Agriculture and Workforce Education Building will cost an estimated $12 million.
You can make a major impact on the lives of our students right now. No donation is too small. Please consider joining us as we endeavor to reach higher and serve students like never before. Together, with your support, we can achieve our Grand Vision.
Naming Opportunities
For more information on naming opportunities, contact Kelsey Christian, director of development.
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Kelsey Christian ’02 Director of Development College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Texas A&M Foundation 979-458-1207 kchristian@txamfoundation.com |