Work experience internships in sustainable urban Agriculture (3 units)
Our internship/work experience (AGRI 270) class consists of full-semester length on-the-job learning experiences in sustainable urban agriculture. AGRI 270 may be taken for a maximum of 16 units.
Work experience (AGRI 270) is required for the Advanced Ecological Landscaping certificate of achievement and for the Urban Farming certificate of achievement, however any student in the program may be eligible for work experience with approval of the instructor. Each business or organization has their own minimum requirements for an intern at their site and may require an application and interview. If you do not have previous experience in agriculture or with courses in our program, we recommend that your first internship placement be at our on-campus farm, Seeds@City Urban Farm.
We highly recommend completing multiple internships over the course of your time in the program. This will provide you with a wealth of hands-on experience and make you more marketable as an employee. Some internship placement sites have also been known to offer jobs to successful interns upon completion of their internship.
Please check out the websites of our current community partners (below). If you see one that interests you please contact Erin Rempala to discuss specific requirements and obtain an application for Fall 2013.
Each of these work experience opportunities requires 12 hours of work per week on site for the duration of our 16-week semester.
Fall 2013 Placement options
On-campus options:
Seeds@City Urban Farm
Off-campus options:
City Farmers Nursery (on Home Ave in City Heights)
Dean's Greens
Murray Farms (in Vista) contact Erin for more info about this site.
Revolution Landscape
Second Chance's Juveniles' Options for Lifelong Transitions (JOLT) program garden (in Southeast San Diego)
Stone Farms in Escondido (must have a car)
Urban Plantations (multiple locations, must have a car)
Wild Willow Farm & Education Center
Testimonials from site supervisors/business owners who've worked with our students
"I wanted to thank you and the staff at SDCC for their dedication to the Sustainable Urban Agriculture Program at Seeds at City College. As a business owner who relies on the availability of trained professionals in the labor force, I am pleased with the results I have seen in students who have completed your courses. Urban agriculture is a growing business and we are desperately in need of trained workers who can hit the ground running, giving our business the competitive edge we need to be successful. I appreciate the value of your courses and the people you are introducing into the workforce. I wish you continued success with the program, you have my fullest support!"
-Karen Contreras, owner, Urban Plantations
"The interns that we receive from City College are a real asset to our farm. They come to us already having a very strong knowledge base in agriculture in addition to their bountiful enthusiasm for the work itself. The training they receive at City College prepares them really well for working on our farm and supplies the tools they need to continue learning and growing as farmers and gardeners."
- Misha Johnson, former Farm Manager, Wild Willow Farm and Education Center