Agricultural Structural Systems
This course provides students with the technical knowledge and hands‑on experience needed to plan, construct, and maintain agricultural structures and building systems. Through practical, lab‑based activities, students learn safe tool operation, problem‑solving, and construction skills used across modern agricultural operations. Coursework includes carpentry, concrete and masonry work, plumbing, electrical applications, and site layout, giving students a strong foundation in the systems that support agricultural facilities and equipment. Students will explore land measurement, site evaluation, and structural design while also working with emerging technologies such as drones for mapping, inspection, and project documentation. Throughout the course, students apply industry‑based standards as they interpret plans, calculate materials, troubleshoot systems, and complete real‑world construction tasks. Emphasis is placed on safety, craftsmanship, teamwork, and developing practical competencies relevant to agricultural mechanics, construction trades, and agricultural engineering pathways. This course prepares students for further study, work‑based learning, and future careers in technical and skilled‑trade fields.
Contextual instruction and student participation in co-curricular career and technical student organization (CTSO) activities will develop leadership, interpersonal, and career skills. High-quality work-based learning (HQWBL) will provide experiential learning opportunities related to students' career goals and/or interests, integrated with instruction, and performed in partnership with local businesses and organizations.
Notes
Class Size Regulation
The Virginia Administrative Code regulates the class size for this course. For additional information, see 8VAC20-120-150, "Maximum class size," or contact the Virginia Department of Education Office of Career and Technical Education at cte@doe.virginia.gov.
Course Sequences
A combination of this course and those below, equivalent to two 36-week courses, is a concentration sequence. Students wishing to complete a specialization may take additional courses based on their career pathways. A program completer is a student who has met the requirements for a CTE concentration sequence and all other requirements for high school graduation or an approved alternative education program.
- Agricultural Business Fundamentals I (36 Weeks)
- Agricultural Fabrication & Emerging Technologies (36 Weeks)
- Agricultural Power Systems (36 Weeks)
- Agricultural Power Systems, Advanced (36 Weeks)
- Applied Agricultural Concepts (18 Weeks)
- Applied Agricultural Concepts (36 Weeks)
- Energy and Power (18 Weeks)
- Introduction to Animal Systems (36 Weeks)
- Introduction to Power, Structural, and Technical Systems (36 Weeks)
- Livestock Production Management (36 Weeks)
Industry Credentials (Only apply to 36-week courses)
- Agriculture Mechanics and Technology I Examination
- Agriculture Mechanics Assessment
- Building Construction Occupations Assessment
- Carpentry Assessment
- Carpentry Level One Assessment
- College and Career Readiness Assessment (CCRA+)
- Construction Masonry–Brick Assessment
- Construction Technology Assessment
- Electrical Construction Technology Assessment
- National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC)
- Workplace Readiness Skills for the Commonwealth Examination
Virginia’s High Demand Occupations and Apprenticeable Occupations
Section § 2.2-2472 of the Code of Virginia requires the Virginia Board of Workforce Development (VBWD) to publish a list of jobs, trades, and professions for which a high demand for qualified workers exists or is projected. The Virginia Office of Education Economics (VOEE) collaborated with the VBWD and related stakeholders to develop the high demand occupations list. VOEE’s mission is to leverage data to inform educational programming, policy, and workforce partnerships across the Commonwealth. See also the Virginia 2024 High Demand Occupations Dashboard.
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) Code, Occupation Description, and Active Apprenticeable Occupation status (Yes/No per the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry).
| SOC Code | Occupation Description | Apprenticeable Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| 112022 | Sales Managers | No |
| 252031 | Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | No |
| 452091 | Agricultural Equipment Operators | Yes |
| 514041 | Machinists | Yes |
| 514121 | Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | Yes |
| 517011 | Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters | No |
| 472031 | Carpenters | Yes |
| 119021 | Construction Managers | No |
| 474011 | Construction and Building Inspectors | Yes |
| 472111 | Electricians | Yes |
| 131082 | Project Management Specialists | No |
| 171011 | Architects, Except Landscape and Naval | No |
| 173011 | Architectural and Civil Drafters | Yes |
| 172051 | Civil Engineers | No |
| 173023 | Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians | Yes |
| 172141 | Mechanical Engineers | Yes |
| 173022 | Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians | No |
| 172071 | Electrical Engineers | No |
| 172081 | Environmental Engineers | No |
| 172112 | Industrial Engineers | Yes |
| 173026 | Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians | Yes |
| 172121 | Marine Engineers and Naval Architects | Yes |
| 173027 | Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians | Yes |
| 537065 | Stockers and Order Fillers | Yes |
| 273042 | Technical Writers | No |
Career Clusters
| Pathway | Occupation |
|---|---|
| Agribusiness Systems |
|
| Animal Systems |
|
| Environmental Service Systems |
|
| Natural Resources Systems |
|
| Plant Systems |
|
| Power, Structural, & Technical Systems |
|
| Pathway | Occupation |
|---|---|
| Construction |
|
| Design/Pre-Construction |
|
| Maintenance/Operations |
|
| Pathway | Occupation |
|---|---|
| Engineering & Technology |
|
