The Kansas 4-H program has added an agricultural mechanics as one of two new projects to help prepare youth for careers and educational options in science, technology, engineering and math, commonly known as STEM.

"With all of our projects, we strive to make a connection to how what youth are doing is relevant to a potential career," said Shane Potter, a Kansas 4-H youth development specialist. "And how can we set youth up for success while exploring educational options."

"These two projects," he said, "help us to further explore the areas of ag mechanics and architecture that we knew were important but we may not have been addressing to the full extent that we could be."

Agricultural mechanics focuses on welding and metalsmithing, encouraging youth to learn the skills, but view them as the foundation of their own business.

"They work with adults and try things out in a safe way, and we provide the curriculum and resources to learn the correct way so they are prepared when they move on to the next steps," Potter said.

He added that the Kansas 4-H program initially started with the area of welding but hopes to expand into other areas like precision agriculture and leverage university and industry partners as experts.

"We offered this opportunity for the first time at last year's Kansas State Fair," Potter said. "We had a lot of interest, and we had some amazing projects that were created, even in the first year. Youth demonstrated a plethora of skills around welding, not only around what they learned, but also how they can apply that to a business of their own or into the many areas where people need welders."

Potter said as youth advance in the ag mechanics project, "we hope to create opportunities to develop and demonstrate more complex uses of their skills, such as in a precision agriculture application. We're always trying to make our projects better, and expand them through a connection with a career."

Click here for more Industry News.