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practices and supervised practical work experience. The program's second-year curriculum emphasizes enology. Lake points to the industry's great need for improving employees' skills as they move up the ladder, saying, "A winery has many roles that are tasked with a narrow range of skills and certificate programs fulfill that need." the-art teaching winery, which allows graduates to rent space and produce wine through an alternating proprietorship. "What we're building at SOWI is far more than workforce training," said Lake. "This is economic development in a community with 17% unemployment." According to Lake, measuring the success of certification and Chris Lake of the Southern Oregon Wine Institute says a combination of online and hands-on learning is an effective model for community college education. initiative as vital to seeding entrepreneurship and growing the wine industry in Oregon. "A blend of online and hands-on learning is proving to be a very effective model for community college instruction," he said. "While we offer traditional face-to-face classes, students can find the mode of instruction they prefer and work that into their lives. Some come from two hours away to attend labs." SOWI's one-year certificate program, the first year of the two-year AAS degree, includes an introduction to grapegrowing, basic principles of soil science, vineyard The teaching winery at SOWI's Danny Lang Center allows graduates to rent space for wine production. Lake routinely polls his students about their long-term goals and finds that more than 75% eventually want to own their own vineyard or winery. Many begin pursuing their dreams at SOWI's state-of- AT A GLANCE + Hands-on, technical training programs are the most effective means of making a career transition into the wine industry. + Graduates of two-year viticulture and enology programs have high job-placement rates. + VESTA's certificate programs include online lectures and hands-on training. + Teaching wineries at community colleges are natural business incubators for local industry. w w w. v w m m e d i a.com two-year programs at community colleges – where enrollment fluctuates and graduation rates are historically low – relies on markers for success within the local industry. "Seventy-five percent of SOWI students have found work in the area and we have a 20%-30% graduation rate, which is above average," he said. "Students who have started their own wineries in the region have a significant touch and broader impact across the industry." Walla Walla Community College's Center for Enology & Viticulture is directed by Dr. Alan Busacca, an expert on the role geology and soil play in wine. Busacca, who is six months into his role at WWCC, spent 25 years as a research professor at Washington State University before entering J a n - Feb 2014 | V INE YA RD & W INE RY M A N A G EM EN T 75