Finger Lakes Community College has launched an online program that makes its education and training programs for vineyardists and winemakers accessible to other east coast wine regions.
The college’s viticulture and wine technology degree and certificate programs have trained the workforce for the Finger Lakes region’s prolific industry for more than a decade. The nine-county area has 144 wineries, more than any other region of the state.
Now, the college is offering education and training to those outside the Finger Lakes with a hybrid program that requires online study and proof of hands-on proficiency from a sponsoring winery or vineyard.
“We want Finger Lakes graduates to be able to demonstrate proficiency in key industry skills,” said Gina Lee, coordinator of the program. “Students in the online program make arrangements with a licensed vineyard or winery to mentor them in the hands-on tasks and vouch for their completion. It’s an extra step, but well worth it because our graduates will have an advantage in the job market.”
The combination of online education with a hands-on component made the FLCC program stand out for Abby Selnick of Ellicott City, Md.
Selnick, 22, works for the University of Maryland Extension where she tests soil and plant tissue to develop nutrient management plans for agricultural producers, including vineyards, in Montgomery County. She also has a drone business, Selnick Precision Agriculture, to survey farm fields and monitor crops for growth and signs of disease and insects.
A 2023 internship with Linganore Winecellars in Frederick County, Md., gave her direct experience caring for vines and the opportunity to observe winemaking.
“I like the creativity of winemaking, and the attention to detail it involves is something that really appeals to me,” she said.
Selnick would like to own a vineyard and winery one day and looked online for a program that would accommodate her work life.
“I still wanted to make money while continuing my education,” she explained.
