Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture offers hands-on agricultural education

CURTIS, Neb. (KOLN) - NCTA has focused on hands-on agricultural learning for decades, offering students real-world experience and specialized programs.

NCTA was established as a high school in 1913 and functioned as a regional high school with a focus on agriculture, said Dr. Kelly Bruns, interim director. In 1965, the state legislature moved it into a two-year agricultural school granting associate degrees in agriculture.

The school offers several specialized programs centered on its agricultural focus. Students can pursue animal science, equine science, and agronomy programs that utilize the campus’s 400 acres with pivots and irrigation systems where students make farming decisions.

“We also have a spring and fall calving herd of about 160 head of cattle that they work on,” Bruns said.

NCTA features unique teams, including a stock dog team that is the only one in the nation where a college supports it with a coach and boards students’ dogs, according to Bruns.

The school has expanded its veterinary technology program to include online options for working professionals. NCTA has always offered the veterinary technology program on campus, but veterinarians across the state indicated their employees faced challenges attending classes.

“The challenge is those employees are place bound, have families, and they can’t come to campus to take and study the program,” Bruns said.

The online program partners with clinics where students are employed, allowing them to take coursework online and practice essential skills under their employer’s oversight.

Many rural areas focus on large animals, so NCTA maintains a kennel with various pets on campus. The school offers a two-day summer short course where students can gain experience in other areas.

Click here to subscribe to our 10/11 NOW daily digest and breaking news alerts delivered straight to your email inbox.