VESTA National Center of Excellence

美国葡萄种植和葡萄酒生产行业(GWI)的持续增长面临着对具有知识和技能的技术劳动力的需求的挑战。葡萄栽培和酿酒科学技术联盟(VETA)是一个多机构合作的国家联盟，正在扩大其能力，以确保这支技术队伍拥有强大的基于STEM的知识和技能，以利用科学实践和新兴技术的最新进步。该联盟与全球倡议和专题专家密切合作，为许多生活在农村社区的学生提供容易获得的学习经验。Vesta提供(A)教育和学习经验，使学生、葡萄酒企业企业家和行业成员能够展示以科学为基础的实践和技术方面的知识和技能，使美国GWI具有全球竞争力；(B)使学生能够应用科学、数学、葡萄酒学和葡萄栽培知识来解决葡萄园和葡萄酒厂运营中的现实挑战的经验；以及(C)基于国家认可的职业能力而确定的职业道路。该联盟使用其远程学习形式，并结合全国各地商业葡萄园和葡萄酒厂的实地经验。后者有两个目的，一是为两年制大学生提供实践技能发展，二是为商业所有者/经营者提供评估未来员工潜力的无风险机会。通过行业主导的课程流程和国家认可的职业能力，科学进步和新兴技术将被识别并纳入Vesta课程和专业发展计划。Vesta将提供即时体验，让学生通过使用模拟教学技术解决葡萄园和葡萄酒厂运营中的现实挑战。这种虚拟现实学习体验将增强所有教学，同时满足当课程与该行业的季节性性质脱节时的关键需求。此外，Vesta将继续展示远程教育方法与行业指导现场实践经验相结合的影响，可以满足21世纪行业的技术劳动力需求。

Continued growth of the U.S. grape growing and wine production industry (GWI) is challenged by its need for a knowledgeable and skilled technical workforce. The Viticulture and Enology Science and Technology Alliance (VESTA), a collaborative, multi-institution national consortium, is expanding its capabilities to ensure that this technical workforce has the strong STEM-based knowledge and skills to take advantage of the latest advances in scientific practices and emerging technologies. The Alliance works closely with the GWI and subject matter experts to provide readily accessible learning experiences for students many of whom live in rural communities. VESTA provides (a) educational and learning experiences so that students, wine business entrepreneurs and industry members are able to demonstrate knowledge and skills in scientifically based practices and technologies making the US GWI globally competitive; (b) experiences that enable students to apply scientific, mathematical, enological and viticultural knowledge to resolve real-world challenges in vineyard and winery operations; and (c) well-defined career paths based on nationally validated occupational competencies. The Alliance uses its distance learning format coupled with field experiences in commercial vineyards and wineries throughout the country. The latter has a dual purpose of hands-on skill development for the two-year college student and a risk-free opportunity for the commercial owner/operator to assess the potential of a future employee. Through an industry-driven curriculum process and nationally validated occupational competencies, scientific advances and emerging technologies will be identified and incorporated into VESTA courses and professional development programs. VESTA will provide just-in-time experiences wherein students address real world challenges in vineyard and winery operations through the use of Simulation Instructional Technologies. This virtual reality learning experiences will enhance all instruction while filling a critical need when courses are out-of-sync with the seasonal nature of this industry. In addition, VESTA will continue to demonstrate the impact that distance learning methodology coupled with hands-on industry-mentored field experiences can have on meeting the technical workforce needs of 21st century industries.