Abstract:
The attention focused on vocational education in the past year
has brought about renewed interest to make vocational training a
truly meaningful part of a community's educational program. The
first step in preparation for the improvement and expansion of
vocational programs is the need of evaluating our existing programs.
The purpose of this study is to provide both a basis for evaluation
and criteria for future planning of the agricultural education
program in Hood River County.
A total of 303 male graduates from two Hood River County
High Schools during a ten year period was selected for a mailed
questionnaire interview. The graduates consisted of all 165 graduates
with two years or more of Vocational Agriculture at Wy'east
High School. In addition, 138 randomly selected graduates were
included from both high schools who did not have Vocational Agriculture.
Comparisons of the agricultural graduates against the non-agricultural graduates are made from the information received.
The data sought was: occupational information on types of
employment, income, location of employment, and job satisfaction.
In addition, the type and amount of post high school training, and
the value of high school courses was analyzed.
Conclusions based on the findings of the study were:
1. The present program of Vocational Agriculture at Wy'east
High School is serving 80 percent of the county's graduates who
enter an agricultural occupation. Fifty-five percent of the Wy'east
agricultural graduates are employed in the field of agriculture.
2. Over 31 percent of the male graduates of Hood River
County have not entered any civilian form of post high school education.
3. Nearly 18 percent of all Hood River County male graduates
enter the occupational fields of forestry and lumbering. Almost
one fourth of the Vocational Agricultural graduates are so employed.
4. Vocational Agriculture is meaningful to agricultural graduates
in non-agricultural occupations. Almost one fourth of the agricultural
graduates attested to this.
