Center on Disability Studies partners to expand aquaponics career skills

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Contact:
Jennifer Parks, (808) 956-0416
Communications Coordinator, College of Education
Posted: Feb 2, 2015

Micro systems can grow both flowers and edibles.
Micro systems can grow both flowers and edibles.

The UH Mānoa College of Education Center on Disability Studies (CDS) is working to expand access to career and technical education in Hawaiʻi high schools. In partnership with the Department of Education’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) unit and the state Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, CDS has developed an entry-level aquaponics technician certification program to include all youth, with and without disability.

The CTE program utilizes Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principals and strategies to prepare students for career pathways and workplace readiness in emerging sectors of the food production industry. Aquaponics has a range of hands-on, entry-level skills sets, which are flexible in engaging unserved and underserved learners.

During the 2014–15 school year, the high school aquaponics technician certification program will offer dual enrollment at the UH community colleges. The innovative pilot program is aligned with Hawaiʻi DOE common core, Natural Resource (NR), and aquaponics industrial-recognized standards. While still in high school, students will begin to gain access to competitive wage earning careers in commercial aquaponics farm production or starting their own family agribusinesses.

For more information, contact Susan Miller at (808) 295-0659.

Read full story at http://bit.ly/1uS803q