A career development program for current and former 4-H and FFA members across South Louisiana.

www.lsuagcenter.com/JDAcademy

A Note from Rob Richter, President/CEO, Sunshine Quality Solutions

Dear Current and Former 4-H and FFA Members,

I’m excited to invite you to join the Sunshine 4-H and FFA Leadership & Career Development Academy. As President/CEO of Sunshine Quality Solutions, we are thrilled to be able to provide an opportunity to address our industry’s need for future employees.

This academy offers a unique chance to invest in your future. We acknowledge your potential and dreams, offering tools, knowledge, and experiences to turn them into reality.

In a rapidly changing world, hands-on learning is crucial. Our academy allows you to step into the world of farm equipment, grasp industry intricacies, and develop skills for now and your career ahead.

This is more than a program; it’s a commitment to growth and success. The academy is your career launchpad, where passion meets mentorship, guiding your education and profession.

Each academy step builds your future. Join us to impact the farm machinery industry, growing into a confident leader ready to innovate agriculture’s future.

This isn’t just the start of a job; it’s the beginning of your career journey. Your dedication will shape our industry’s future, supported by us every step.

Embrace this opportunity, witness your growth, and celebrate success. Your journey with Sunshine Quality Solutions is a story of empowerment and achievement.

Welcome to the Sunshine 4-H and FFA Leadership & Career Development Academy. Let’s create a bright and innovative future together.

Warm regards,

Rob Richter
President/CEO

Sunshine Quality Solutions

Sunshine Quality Solutions was formed on October 4th, 2016, with the merger of Sunshine Equipment and Quality Equipment. This merger brought our valued customers over 80 years of combined experience and knowledge in supporting the Agricultural and Turf Care industry in southern Louisiana and southern Mississippi. With 17 locations throughout southern Louisiana, “Sunshine” offers optimized parts and service support, volume pricing on equipment, and a much more robust equipment inventory. Sunshine Quality Solutions continues the principle of keeping our customers first, which is why we say: “We don’t want you to be a customer for a day; we want you to be a customer for a lifetime!”

Locations of Sunshine Quality Solutions

Transforming Your Interest into a Career

Vision and Goal of Academy

The Sunshine Quality Solutions 4-H and FFA Leadership & Career Development Academy is a one-of-a-kind educational and career experience for young people to invest in their future by gaining hands-on learning experiences in the farm equipment industry. The goal of the academy is to be able to identify, mentor, and track participants through their educational journey and into a career in the farm machinery industry.

Overview

According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which hears every day from their member companies—of every size and industry, across nearly every state—our country is facing unprecedented challenges finding workers to fill open jobs. Recent data shows more than 10 million job openings, but only 6 million unemployed workers! The need for skilled workers affects all areas of Louisiana, especially the agricultural sector. Agriculture is the largest economic base for the state of Louisiana and it demands a broad and diverse professionals from technical mechanics to sales, finance, and engineering.

The Sunshine 4-H and FFA Leadership/Career Development Academy is a new, innovative program that engages Louisiana’s two largest agriculture youth organizations, with Louisiana’s largest supplier of agriculture farm machinery, for the purpose of developing future employees. The goal over the six-month program is to create a cohort of young people who are committed to entering the farm machinery industry after the completion of high school, an Associates of Applied Science program, or a baccalaureate degree.

Qualifications of Academy

The academy is open to both College (LSU, McNeese, and Southeastern) and High School Juniors who have a targeted career goal of entering into the agricultural machinery industry as a long-term career.

Selected Academy members must plan on being an active, engaged employee at a Sunshine Quality Solution Dealership close to the young persons home/school. Youth will be employed during the summer months and may be given the opportunity to work after-school, and/or times throughout the year (Christmas Holidays, etc).

Academy length will be a six-month cycle, from May to October. The Academy will include some travel during the time to participate in professional development opportunities at other dealerships and/or sites throughout the southern part of Louisiana. A valid drivers license and ability to travel by yourself is a positive.

What Careers Does Sunshine Quality Solutions Offer?

Take the First Step from Interest to Career

Take the Second Step and Complete the Application

Academy Structure

The approximate two-year academy is an opportunity for youth to gain value skills in all aspects of the agriculture industry with the goal of identifying a core group of youth entering the farm machinery industry pipeline. The course will consist of eight face-to-face educational sessions, a travel experience to a production facility of John Deere, summer internships, a junior college tour, and a Louisiana university tour.

Junior Year in High School

Other Educational Opportunities:

• In-House Professional Development
• John Deere Field Days
• AgCenter Ag Precision Field Day(s)

Time to Sign Up!

Equipment Industry:

1. For those still in high school have a conversation with your parents/guardians, FFA advisor, and/or 4-H agent and express your desires to pursue a career in agricultural equipment industry. Get their feedback, thoughts, and help you plan your pathway in this career.

2. Contact your FFA Advisor or 4-H Extension Agent to request a letter of recommendation.

3. Once you have received your letter of recommendation, complete the online application form at: Sunshine 4-H and FFA Career Development Academy by the priority deadline of March 1, 2025. The application will remain open, but priority consideration will be given to those applicants who apply by March 1.

4. After the priority deadline for applications have passed, a review committee will identify those candidates who they would like to interview. You will be notified throughout the process what the status of your application is.

Online Application Worksheet

Here is what you are going to need to complete through the online academy application form:

• First/Last Name
• Address
• City, State, Zip
• Phone (your phone number)
• Email address (your PERSONAL email - preferable not your high school email)
• Grade in High School
• Member of 4-H, FFA, or both
• Date of Birth
• Name of High School
• Name of 4-H Agent or Ag Science Teacher
• 4-H Agent or Ag Teacher’s Email Address
• Do you have a current driver license? (Yes/No)
• Do you have reliable transportation that can be used for a job? (Yes/No)
• Rate the areas you would like to pursue in the academy: parts, service, accounting, precision ag. business solutions (refer to page 3 for a definition of each of these areas).
• Why are you interested in the Sunshine 4-H and FFA Leadership/Career Development Academy? (max 1000 words)
• What are your career goals? (Include such things as graduate from high school, enter the work force, attend trade/community/junior college, attend a four-year university, etc). (max 1000 words)
• What personal attributes, assets, skills, knowledge, or background that you feel potentially set you apart from other individuals who may be applying for this opportunity?(max 1000 words)
• What do you hope to get out of the Sunshine 4-H and FFA Leadership/Career Development Academy? (max 500 words)
• Required document uploads:
  • 1 letter of recommendation from your 4-H Extension Agent or FFA Advisor

Complete your application online at: Sunshine 4-H and FFA Career Development Academy