GARDEN CITY, Kan. (KSNW) – Imagine coming out of college debt-free. Well, the Garden City Community College has a program that has that opportunity for some students.
With only 16 agriculture technology programs in the world, the ag industry has a real need for technicians.
“I have a guaranteed job for five years,” said GCCC freshman Darwyn Maxwell.
Lead instructor Christian Winger said there will soon be over 20,000 job openings in the industry. These classes are able to teach students how to fix anything from lawnmowers to large combines while giving them opportunities.
“Kids coming out of high school already have a career lined up and a lot of students have issues getting a job out of college, so the head start that they have is just awesome,” said Winger.
All of the students are sponsored by someone in the industry, and many of those businesses pay tuition, with a five-year job contract once they graduate, giving students jobs out of college and no debt.
“I had an older brother who went to college and had a hard time fighting for a job and because of me knowing I don’t have to worry about that, it’s a big load off of my chest,” said Maxwell.
With 34 students enrolled, the college hopes to expand in the next few years to bring in more students.
