Oct. 16, 2026
Information provided by Blue Ridge Community College Communications
Blue Ridge Community College has announced plans to launch a new agricultural mechanics and equipment technology program in August 2027 which should expand workforce training opportunities and support western North Carolina’s agricultural community.
The program will be offered as a short-term workforce training pathway designed to prepare students for immediate employment. Students will train for entry-level employment servicing, maintaining, and repairing agricultural equipment and related machinery. Through classroom instruction and hands-on laboratory experiences, students will develop skills in diesel engine fundamentals, equipment diagnostics, hydraulic and pneumatic systems, small-engine service and repair and welding. Students will also have opportunities to earn nationally recognized industry credentials.
“Agriculture is more than an industry in western North Carolina. It is part of our heritage, our economy, and the future of our communities,” explained Blue Ridge’s Vice President for Economic and Workforce Development Dr. Monica Carpenter in a news release. “This new program will help prepare individuals to enter and sustain this essential field, strengthening the agricultural workforce and supporting an industry that we all rely on. Blue Ridge Community College is bringing education and industry together to prepare the next generation of skilled technicians, create meaningful career opportunities, and help ensure that agriculture continues to thrive in our region,”
Blue Ridge developed the program in response to growing employer demand for skilled technicians who can service and maintain agricultural equipment. Before developing the program, the College met with multiple industry partners to identify the technical skills most relevant to the region’s agricultural workforce.
Agriculture is North Carolina’s top industry and an important part of the economy across Blue Ridge’s service area, which together have approximately 44,000 acres of farmland and more than 660 farms. Across western North Carolina, similar operations exist and their agricultural economies rely on skilled technicians to maintain and repair equipment.
The North Carolina Department of Commerce’s Labor and Economic Analysis Division projects that employment in installation, maintenance, and repair occupations will grow 11.3%, from approximately 207,585 jobs in 2022 to 231,029 jobs in 2032.
The new program will address workforce needs in Henderson and Transylvania counties while helping fill a regional training gap. No other community college in the state currently offers a workforce continuing education program that specializes in agricultural mechanics and equipment technology. It has not been determined if the majority of courses for the new program will be taught on the Henderson or Transylvania campus.
BRCC was recently awarded a $250,000 grant through the North Carolina Community College System and funded by the North Carolina General Assembly as part of the state’s High-Cost Workforce Start-Up Grant that helps community colleges launch programs in high-demand occupations where employers face workforce needs.
The program has been approved by the Workforce Development Leadership Council and is expected to receive approval from the State Board of Community Colleges in November.