“I am the most proud of teaching students how to be farmers,” says Nikki Bagley, Yavapai College’s viticulture director.

“We have this sexy industry that people want to join today. It’s one of the few farming opportunities attracting young people into agriculture right now.”

Bagley says ‘newbie farmers’ are interested in the wine grape industry; typically not multi-generational farming families.

Next generation of farmers

“The Yavapai College program is an opportunity for Arizona youth to get into farming and stick around,” the Arizona native said.” It’s a new opportunity for the next generation of Arizona farmers.”

Bagley and winemaker Michael Pierce are the core faculty members for the community college’s one-year program certificates in vineyard production and enology. Stack the two programs together with other courses and the graduate earns a two-year Associate’s degree in applied sciences in both grape programs. 

The degree and certificates help prepare graduates for industry jobs including vineyard manager, winemaker or assistant winemaker, viticulturist, crew supervisor, cellar master, winery lab technician, entrepreneur, and tasting room manager.

Many Yavapai College viticulture graduates have jobs lined up jobs before graduation in Arizona, California, Washington, and overseas.

Bagley personally understands students’ interests in wine grapes. She lived in nearby Jerome where worked at fixing up an old house. She accepted a position at Merkin Vineyards in nearby Cornville and advanced there into vineyard management.

In 2004, Bagley earned her Associate’s degree in agriculture from Yavapai College, followed by a Bachelor’s degree in agroecology from Prescott College in 2008.

In 2009, Bagley began teaching viticulture classes part time at the college, and today is employed full time in her current post.