Machine Mondays: Hands-On Learning at Reedley College

Every week at Reedley College, students enrolled in the AgTEC Certificate Program get the chance to move beyond the classroom and into the driver’s seat—literally. “Machine Mondays” offer hands-on experience with real agricultural equipment, from forklifts and tractors to robotics like the Farm-ng Amiga. These interactive sessions are designed to help students showcase and build upon their existing skills in operating machinery, troubleshooting, and farming technology—all key components of the program's Career-Based Education (CBE) learning model.

For students like Lizette Mora, a working mother pursuing an AgTEC certificate, Machine Mondays are a vital part of her learning journey. 

“I’m excited to use the tractor,” Lizette shared. “It’s a really good experience because you can get a higher wage job from a packing house or in the fields using the tractor.” Mora, who learned about the AgTEC program from a flier her daughter brought home, values the flexibility, bilingual support, and career-oriented training the program provides.

Nelson Segovia, another AgTEC student, appreciates how the program recognizes and builds upon his prior work experience in agriculture. 

"I have done a little bit of everything. I have worked picking grapes, picking fruit, oranges," said Nelson. "I knew about tractors, I was a forklift driver for about two years in cold storage. So most of the stuff, maybe I don't drive it as often, but I know how they work."

Nelson’s hands-on knowledge of tractors and forklifts has made him a peer mentor during Machine Mondays, inspiring classmates by showing what’s possible with hard work and support.

"He's one of my top students," said Allen Vizcarra, AgTEC instructor at Reedley College. "If he doesn't know something, he's not too scared of asking. He's always willing to help out, and I see him as a role model for my other students because he's more advanced. He has some experience driving tractors, and he knows more about forklift driving than me."

The AgTEC Program allows students like Nelson the ability to showcase and build upon their existing skills, while learning ones.

"I learned how to use a computer, how to use an email, set up a meeting, use Excel, create a document, things that I didn't know how to do before," said Nelson. "Nowadays, technology is everything. You don't do things on paper anymore, so it is very important to learn how to use a computer. Hopefully one day I can get a job where this can be helpful."

With the Central Valley’s agricultural industry evolving rapidly, programs like AgTEC—and experiential learning events like Machine Mondays—are helping students develop the skills needed to meet real-world labor demands. Whether they're operating advanced robotics or learning how to navigate digital tools, students are gaining confidence, credentials, and a clearer path to higher-wage careers in agriculture.

Learn more about the AgTEC program at: https://f3agtec.org/