Earn a nationally recognized credential through paid, mentored work and flexible instruction, from wherever you live.
How it works
Our approach is Explore, Practice, Apply. You explore the agriculture and agtech sectors, practice on real projects to find your strengths, and apply what you learn with an employer through paid on-the-job training.
- Related and Supplemental Instruction: 150 hours per year of unpaid learning, mostly online or through local activities, with regular mentoring and a virtual community of practice. About 50 hours qualify you for placement.
- On-the-job training: about 2,000 paid hours with one or more employers, part time or full time. Completion is competency based, so you may finish sooner or later than 2,000 hours.
- Credit for prior learning: past classes and work experience count.
- Portable credentials: your apprenticeship record follows you across employers and years.
Who joins
We welcome people from any state, ages 16 and up, including career changers, veterans, retirees, students earning academic credit, people with disabilities, and people who are justice involved. Bilingual apprentices are especially valued.
Pathways
Our 15 pathways are approved by the U.S. Department of Labor, the California Division of Apprenticeship Standards, or both.
- Production and regenerative agriculture: Agriculture Technicians, Regenerative Agricultural Technicians, Organic Vegetable Farm Manager
- Precision agriculture: Precision Agriculture Technicians, Robotics and Mechatronics Technicians
- Equipment: Farm Equipment Mechanic and Technician, Farm Equipment Operator
- Livestock and animal care: Farm and Ranch Livestock Technician, Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers
- Conservation and environment: Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Forest and Conservation Technicians
- Direct-to-consumer and business: Technical Sales Associate, Online Merchant, Accountants and Auditors, Producers and Directors
Technology woven into every pathway
Apprentices learn to install and maintain sensors, build low-bandwidth farm networks, and turn data into plain-language recommendations about irrigation, soil health, and pest pressure. That preparation means apprentices arrive at a farm ready to contribute.
Next steps
- Review the pathways and choose your top three.
- Email Kelly@OpenSource.ag with your top three, where you live, and a list of any previous ag experience.