Pest Control Adviser

Allan Hancock College's Pest Control Adviser Preparation Program is designed for students preparing for, or advancing in careers in crop protection and pest control. The Pest Control Adviser Preparation program will prepare students fora wide variety of entry-level positions related to pest identification,prevention, control methods and applications of crop protection materials. This second of two stackable certificates provides students with comprehensive courses which, when preceded by completion of the first certificate in Crop Protection, will meet the requirements to qualify to take the Pest Control Adviser licensing exam.

The program emphasis is on local career opportunities such as pest management and control, pest control advising, agronomy, and agricultural inspection. 

The graduate of the certificate program in crop protection will:

·        use standard scientific procedures to answer questions related to the chemical and biological properties of agricultural products and materials.

·        utilize agronomic principles to identify issues in and solutions for agricultural production systems.

·        apply sustainable agricultural techniques to solve pest and nutrient issues in the agricultural system.

·        employ safety standards, calibration techniques, and laws and regulations to effectively prepare and apply crop protection materials for pest control.

1.      Program Goals and Objectives: The goal of the Certificate of Achievement in Pest Control Adviser Preparation is career readiness through completion of this CTE program.  The purpose of this second of two stackable certificates is to be the final step in a two-certificate process which will provide students with the skills and knowledge necessary to qualify to take and pass the Pest Control Adviser Licensing exam, given by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. Additionally, completing these two certificates will provide students with comprehensive intellectual and experiential knowledge required for employment in the many facets of the crop protection sector of the agriculture industry.  Possession of this certificate will represent a depth of scientific understanding of crop protection that is required by employers and is extremely rare to obtain at the community college level.  This program will open employment opportunities for students desiring immediate employment in the local crop protection field or in other mid-level jobs in pest management and control,agronomy, farm or greenhouse management, agricultural inspection and crop advising.

·        Objective 1: prepare students for entry level employment in pesticide applications; crop protection; integrated pest management; identification, monitoring, prevention and control of agricultural pests

·        Objective 2: completion of 24 of the required 42 units needed to qualify to take the Pest Control Adviser licensing exam given by the Department of Pesticide Regulation

·        Objective 3: provide the educational requirements to take and pass the Qualified Applicator License exam

 The Pest Control Adviser Preparation program provides a unique opportunity,bringing together existing agriculture curriculum with four new courses in the first of the two stackable certificates to establish a pathway for students to be immediately employable in several mid-level positions; to obtain a Pest Control Adviser license; or to transfer to a university for further study.  The addition of this program to Allan Hancock College serves to accomplish our mission of providing students with the skills and knowledge they need in order to be employable in a high paying field that is lacking qualified workers and presents several local career opportunities.  California is one of only a few states that require a license for people who advise farmers on pest control management. The need for new licensed Pest Control Advisers (PCAs )is so great in California agriculture, that the California Association of Pest Control Advisers (CAPCA) has been making intentional efforts to reach out to community colleges and four-year universities to encourage students to follow curricular pathways that will lead to qualifications for taking the PCA licensing exam. The Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR), who has the sole authority to issue the PCA license, requires that 42 specific course units be completed by the exam applicant. The local CAPCA chapter reviewed the courses planned by the Allan Hancock College agriculture coordinator for the completion of the Crop Protection and Pest Control Adviser Preparation Certificates. All board members are practicing Pest Control Advisers who have passed the rigorous exam given by the DPR and all agreed that these certificates, with the four new courses created specifically for this Crop Protection Certificate, will provide our students with the knowledge required to pursue this career path.  Additionally, the Department of Pesticide Regulation has reviewed the course requirements for both of these stackable certificates and has determined that students who complete both certificates will have met all curricular requirements to take the PCA exam. An ongoing relationship has been established with the DPR to update the list of their approved AHC courses that are accepted to count towards qualifying to take the PCA exam.