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As the CEA industry continues to grow—as seen
with the multi-million-dollar deals being struck
with companies such as Plenty—it brings with it the
need for qualified employees. However, due to the
novelty of modern gardening on an industrial scale,
as well as the industry’s roots in the shady confines
of hobbyist indoor growing, there is a slim talent
pool available for CEA businesses. Moreover, those
traditional farming professionals who are adept at
mono-crop, large-scale field growing have a hard time
transitioning into the specialized, technology-savvy
arenas of modern gardening.
While several highly accredited universities such as
UC Davis, Purdue University, and Cornell offer intensive
coursework in CEA, only a couple offer specific CEA
degree programs. To help us get a better understanding
of what exactly a dedicated CEA program entails,
Maximum Yield reached out to Santa Fe Community
College (SFCC) for insights into their two-year associates
degree program. Professor Charlie Shultz, a highly
accomplished aquaponics horticulturist and head of the
SFCC CEA program, addressed several poignant issues
relating to education and the burgeoning CEA industry.
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