Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration introduced a new apprenticeship program as part of the “Jobs that Pay” program that is designed to prepare farm equipment service technicians by developing hands-on skills in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), reports WBRE/WYOU-TV.

It's reported that Pennsylvania will face more than 1,000 job openings by 2027 as current service techs retire. The Northeast Equipment Dealers Assn. is sponsoring the Agriculture Service Technician apprenticeship program, which will take at least one year to complete. Case IH and AGCO dealer Binkley & Hurst, John Deere dealer Deer County Farm & Lawn, Case IH dealer Hoober Inc. and Case IH and New Holland dealer Messick’s Farm Equipment, along with New Holland Agriculture have agreed to hire and provide mentors to train the apprentices.

“As Pennsylvania’s leading economic driver, agriculture offers a full range of meaningful careers. The Agriculture Equipment Service Technician apprenticeship program gives young people the opportunity to earn while they learn in their own communities,” Agriculture Executive Deputy Secretary Michael Smith said in a press release.

According to the WBRE/WYOU-TV report,

Roughly 997 farm equipment mechanics and service technicians currently work in Pennsylvania, but many of these skilled workers are expected to retire during the next decade.

The Agriculture Equipment Service Technician apprenticeship was developed to train more than 1,000 Pennsylvanians to repair and maintain electronics, global positioning and information systems, and other emerging technologies.

You can read the full report here.