September 21, 2026
UC Riverside’s Farmworker Advancement Program shows how rigorous, credential-aligned training can expand career pathways for farmworkers when paired with bilingual, technology, advising, and fieldwork support.
For many participants in the University of California, Riverside (UCR) Professional and Global Education (PGE) Farmworker Advancement Program (FAP), returning to school has meant entering an unfamiliar learning environment, taking on a new role, and viewing their future in a new light. As a participant who had been working in the fields for nine years articulated, “To be honest, I never thought I would go back to school.” Many students are balancing seasonal farm work and caregiving and had limited experience with online classes.
The tuition-free program brings together early childhood education courses taught in Spanish, English language development classes, technology training, and hands-on experience in child care settings. In designing this program, UCR PGE drew on its existing online early childhood education (ECE) and English language programs to serve farmworkers as a new target population. The program reaches participants across a broad California service area and was designed so they can continue working while preparing for roles as preschool or day care assistants, classroom support staff, or licensed family child care providers, with a goal of meeting a workforce need in regions that are considered “child care deserts.” Many participants live in rural areas with limited job opportunities outside of agriculture, and the attractions of this career pathway include year-round stability, jobs that are less physically demanding, and opportunities to more easily balance work with family responsibilities.
The program is supported by the California Farmworkers Advancement Program, a first-of-its-kind population-specific investment launched by the state’s Employment Development Department to support economic mobility for farmworkers and their families. To date, the initiative has applied over $25 million in governor’s discretionary funds under the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to support 20 awardees, including community-based organizations, workforce development boards, and educational institutions. Jobs for the Future supports FAP operators as the technical assistance and developmental evaluation provider, helping organizations enhance implementation and share strategies with peers across the network. As the only four-year university with a program serving FAP participants, UCR offers a central lesson: High rigor can open up opportunities when it is paired with high support.
UCR began with a goal of enrolling 50 students, which it considered ambitious for a new program. The university conducted digital, bilingual outreach and engaged with statewide partners to promote the FAP. Enrollment quickly surpassed UCR’s expectations and was capped at 61 students. “We appeared to tap into something that was really needed,” said Kevin Vaughn, dean of UCR PGE.
