We recently unveiled the Precision Toolkit Program in partnership with New Holland agriculture. The Precision Toolkit Program will provide selected chapters of the Future Farmers of America (FFA) organization with a training stand that introduces them to Raven's cutting-edge technology. They will receive access to online courses, training videos, and other resources to further their development and understanding of how their work in agriculture benefits the world.
Over 65,000 attendees joined the FFA National Convention and Expo in Indianapolis, where the Precision Toolkit Program was unveiled in October.
Since then, the program has received overwhelming interest from FFA chapters, Raven Sales Specialist Mitch White said. FFA advisors can apply for their chapter to be selected for the program. Advisors were applying the day it was unveiled — and have continued to apply since the convention.
The program grew from an idea formed by New Holland Technology Segment Lead Ben Sheldon, a former FFA student whose father was a chapter advisor. Together, they saw a need to bring technology directly to FFA students to create a hands-on learning experience.
Ben interned with CNH Industrial in 2015. While interning, Ben saw a need to give hands-on learning opportunities that teach people exactly how to use precision technology. This laid the foundation to start bringing the idea he formed with his dad to life.
From 2015 to now, Ben worked with team members across the organization to develop a precision technology training stand that could be used as a resource. The training stand is now ready to go to students.
Providing students with a training stand gives them the immediate, hands-on access to working with precision technology that Ben was looking for seven years ago. Advisors from across the country have been seeking the same thing and said countless times at the convention, "Where has this been?"
It's nerve wracking anytime you get to launch something because you never know how successful something is going to be and what success will look like. To see that level of excitement at the biggest venue for the FFA organization, that shows we're going in the right direction.
— Ben Sheldon, New Holland Technology Segment Lead
FFA chapters across the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are eligible for the Precision Toolkit Program. Since unveiling it, Mitch and Ben have received an overwhelming number of applications from chapter advisors seeking this tech for their students. A limited number of chapters will be selected at the end of year, and the training stands will be delivered for use in the 2023-2024 school year.
Mitch said hearing from advisors on how it will help their students has been an incredible experience and that he's excited to see where it goes next.
"Hearing that this is what they've been waiting for, how could you not be moved by that?" Mitch said.
Advisors are intelligent and understand the industry, so to hear from them that this is what they need to be successful was incredible.
— Ben Sheldon, New Holland Technology Segment Lead
Excitement for the program, which was already high, continues to grow across the CNH Industrial family of brands. Team members across brands are working with Ben to find opportunities to help the program grow so more students can receive access to the precision toolkit. The benefits of this program are seen company-wide, and team members are working together as One Team to see it prosper.
Ben said another exciting side of this project is the opportunity it provides to see its effects in the future as the students who receive the tech will be using it in their careers within the next few years. He said that the feedback they receive from students as they take what they learn into their future careers will help develop the program so it continues to meet students' needs.
The Precision Toolkit Program is Breaking New Ground so we can ensure that the next generation of ag leaders are equipped to lead the agriculture sector.