Diving into aquaculture – Washington County Community College leads the way with a new two-year college program
COURTESY OF MAINE AQUACULTURE INNOVATION CENTER
The first and only 2-year aquaculture degree program in the state of Maine is currently accepting applications for students to start in September after several years of collaboration between the Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center and Washington County Community College (WCCC).
Developed with funding from a USDA Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (ARFI) grant, the Aquaculture Technology Program is grounded in numerous organizational and industry partnerships which will be key to delivering the industry-designed programming. WCCC and the Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center partnered on the grant in 2021 and have recently received approval from the Maine Community College System Board of Trustees to launch the innovative degree program after several years of development, including the offering of pilot courses through the Division of Workforce and Professional Development at WCCC.
The program includes ten new aquaculture-specific courses covering topics that range from exploring aquaculture careers to farm site selection, aquatic farming practices, and marine biosecurity. The courses in the program are specifically designed with accessibility in mind: much of the content is delivered online while some practical, hands-on lessons are taught in intensive, skills-development lab sections. Many classes meet in the evening to accommodate non-traditional students with day jobs. Each course in the program is designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge to launch a career in Maine’s aquaculture sector, and the curricula are aligned with the industry occupational standards published by the Maine Aquaculture Association. There are various pathways for students entering the program; students can take individual courses to further their professional development, graduate after 1-year with a Workforce Training Certificate, or graduate after 2-years with an Associate in Applied Science degree. After completing an Associate in Applied Science degree, students can also transfer into 4-year programs. Following the recent Transfer ME agreement between the University of Maine System and the Maine Community College System, WCCC students are guaranteed admission to the University of Maine System after completing their associate degree.
WCCC is also an intermediary sponsor under the Maine Apprenticeship Program which – coupled with a grant from the Maine Department of Labor – allows WCCC to help build sustainable training and employment pathways by connecting students in the Aquaculture Technology program to pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship opportunities with aquaculture employers. Both pre-apprentices and apprentices get real-world, hands-on exposure and experience with Maine’s aquaculture employers – experiences that include both on-the-job learning and related technical instruction.
A complementary USDA AFRI funded project is also underway in Southern Maine with the Gulf of Maine Research Institute and Southern Maine Community College (SMCC) partnering to develop and deliver short-term aquaculture courses, and a shellfish and marine algae farming apprenticeship program. Many WCCC courses offer badges, also known as micro-credentials, which are cross-walked with these short-term training options through Southern Maine Community College. This partnership model allows community college students from across the state to easily access the WCCC’s Aquaculture Technology Program.
Financial aid and scholarships are available to those who qualify. To learn more about the program and to apply for September start, visit https://wccc.me.edu/academics/programs/programs-study/aquaculture-technology/