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HOEEP

Hispanic Orchard Employee Education Program

The HOEEP certificate program is a nationally recognized program designed to fit the needs of its students.

HOEEP offers seven 19-credit programs : basic and advanced horticulture, integrated pest management technician, farm management, introduction to viticulture and advanced viticulture, and vineyard management. Classes are designed to accommodate students’ work schedules. 

Because HOEEP is an I-BEST, or Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training, program, the courses feature two instructors: one to teach college-level academic or technical content, the other to teach basic skills in reading, math, writing or the English language.

Program contact: Francisco Sarmiento, fsarmiento@wvc.edu, 509-682-6628.

HOEEP is designed to increase the professional abilities of agricultural employees (and their contributions to operations) through greater understanding of:

  • horticultural science
  • current production technology
  • the English language and communication skills
  • mathematics
  • computers
  • cultural and social systems.

 The Hispanic orchard employee education program (HOEEP) consists of approximately 19 weeks of instruction beginning in mid-October and continuing until mid-March. Classes are held three times each week in four-hour blocks from mid-afternoon to early evening. Classes take place in communities throughout Central Washington as well as on the Wenatchee campus.

Students should have basic English conversational skills and some ability to read and write in Spanish. Regular attendance is a necessity; therefore students (and their employers) must be committed to attending all classes to obtain maximum benefits and to complete the program.

Academic preparation may allow students to take some of the first-year tree fruit production program's agricultural courses on an independent-study basis. Eligibility for this program will be determined by instructors on a case-by-case basis.

Basic Horticulture: introduction to viticulture, plant physiology, soils, irrigation, integrated pest management, pruning/training, equipment maintenance and calibration, safety, orchard economics, personnel management, and recertification credits. Instruction is in Spanish. Includes fruit industry field trips.

English and Math : phonics, reading, basic writing, listening comprehension, communication skills, basic mathematical operations, word problems, introduction to computers, and subjects concerning everyday life and citizenship. Instruction is in English.

More in-depth focus on beginning level subjects: higher levels of English and math, emphasis on economics and modern production systems. All instruction is in English. Students will be placed in the advanced level with approval of the instructors.
Intensive IPM program prepares Latino orchard employees as pest management scouts. Instruction, mostly in Spanish, emphasizes English terminology. Includes study of pests, field sampling techniques, pest management basics and record keeping. Includes basic math, reading, writing, speaking and listening in English, and discussion of everyday life and citizenship. For a detailed description of this training click here.
Taught in Spanish, this course introduces the principles and practices of farm management, including goal setting, developing a record-keeping system, cash flow, farm financial statements, balance sheets, budgets, personnel management, laws and regulations, legal forms, and food safety. Prerequisites: basic command of the English language.
Taught in Spanish, this course introduces students to the production and management of wine grapes and their juices. Includes plant physiology, canopy management, soils, irrigation, plant nutrition, thinning, harvest, storage, marketing and vineyard financial management. Prerequisites: basic command of English language.
Taught in Spanish. Offers more in-depth information about the production systems and management of wine grapes and their juices. Includes site selection and vineyard establishment, soils, pests and irrigation management, human resources, vineyard business plan, marketing and whole farm ecosystems. Prerequisites: basic command of English language.
Intensive technical instruction to prepare Latino vineyard employees as pest management scouts and to introduce them to basic vineyard economics and management. Instruction is mostly in Spanish, emphasizing terminology in English. The purpose of this course is to prepare students for mid-management and management positions.