Career+Pathways

Career pathways are an essential component of all career technical education (CTE) programs, including agriculture education. Career pathways allow students to focus their studies in high school on a specific career area that they want to pursue after high school. Agriculture courses allow students to gain hands-on experience in their intended career path giving them valuable, marketable skills that will help them get a job, or move onto further education after high school. While students are not required to choose a specific strand within the agriculture education pathway, courses are designed to build upon each other to offer students ample opportunities to gain more experience in the area that interests them most. At Westmont High School, there are two strands that students are eligible to choose from: agricultural mechanics, animal science, and soon plant science. Below you will find a description of the two strands offered within the Agriculture Department, as well as course descriptions for areas within those strands. You will also find descriptions of our "foundation courses" that serve to provide a rigorous academic curriculum to all three strands. 

====Want career success? Get a career path! ====

AGRICULTURE MECHANICS
 The Agriculture Mechanics strand is designed for students who enjoy working with their hands. This is the ideal course of study for those who are mechanically minded, and enjoy the challenge of making things work. Students completing the Ag Mechanics strand will have skills in woodworking, plumbing, electrical, welding, design and fabrication allowing them to move on to further education in various trades or to have valuable life skills as they pursue other career opportunities. Courses in the Ag Mechanics strand include the following:
 * Agriculture Mechanics I
 * Agriculture Mechanics II

ANIMAL SCIENCE
 // The Animal Science strand is designed for students who have a passion for working with all types of animals from livestock to companion to exotic. This is the ideal course of study for students who hope to pursue a career in veterinary medicine or other life sciences including biology, kinesiology, human medicine, and more. Students completing the Animal Science strand will have knowledge and experience in animal handling, anatomy, physiology, animal nutrition and much more. Courses in the Animal Science strand include the following: //
 * Ag Biology/Biology & Sustainable Agriculture
 * Veterinary Science
 * PLANT SCIENCE ** ( Coming Soon)

// Horticulture and greenhouse production are some of the largest agriculture businesses in Nipomo and the surrounding area. This is the ideal course of study for students who enjoy being outside and learning hands-on while beautifying their surroundings. Students completing the Plant Science Strand will have a solid understanding of plant reproduction and propagation, plant nutrition, principles of color and design, landscape installation, irrigation, and much more. Courses in the Plant Science Strand include the following: //
 * <span style="font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;,times,serif; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">Ag Biology/Biology & Sustainable Agriculture
 * <span style="font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;,times,serif; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">Ornamental Horticulture
 * <span style="font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;,times,serif; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">Floral Design

====<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #a10827; font-family: tahoma,tahoma-w01-regular,tahoma-w02-regular,tahoma-w10-regular,tahoma-w15--regular,tahoma-w99-regular,sans-serif; font-size: 40px; vertical-align: baseline;">Capstone Classes ====

//<span style="font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;,times,serif; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">The purpose of the capstone courses is to allow students to apply the knowledge and skills they have acquired in their other agriculture courses to more complex tasks and problems. These courses are designed for students who have had a minimum of 1 year of prior agriculture education experience. //

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Ag Business & Economics
<span style="font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;,times,serif; font-size: 16px;">America’s agriculture industry is the mainstay of the United States economy. Understanding economics and regulations of this diverse industry is critical to its continued success and prosperity. Students will study the constitution, government, federalism, the 2014 U.S. Farm Bill, macroeconomics, economic systems, and agriculture marketing. This class will run its own business, manage other businesses and visit others to gain first hand understanding of the industry. Computers will be used extensively to learn economics, analysis and interpolation. U.C. Approved — "G" Elective