Canadian students had no options. If they wanted to study agriculture communications, they had to attend programs at U.S. colleges and universities.
But as of this fall, they can study closer to home, at Olds College, where an agriculture-focused communications program has launched.
“Communications has been part of our curriculum for most of our students for a number of years, but we didn’t offer a specific program in agricultural communications,” said Brendan Richardson, an instructor at the College’s Werklund School of Agriculture Technology, and chair of the curriculum committee.
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After it tweaked some of the general communications courses, the committee saw more student engagement and realized there was a need for a formalized program.
The Agriculture Communications Certificate program is delivered online and this inaugural year has attracted students from Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and beyond. Students also range in age and experience, from recent high school grads to those who are well into their careers and looking for a refresher or to upgrade their skills.
Cindy Green, a mother, farmer, and school bus driver from southeastern Saskatchewan, has experience in business and marketing and is excited about the curriculum and her classmates. Having just completed her first weeks’ worth of assignments, Green is enthusiastic about the program.
“I’m looking forward to diving into the curriculum,” she said. “We started working on developing our professional voice this week in writing and video. It really has me thinking outside the box.”
Green also noted the opportunity to learn from instructors as well as classmates.
“Our class has a real mix of people, different backgrounds and agriculture experience and students from as far away as India.”
Topics include the basics of writing, marketing and working with the media, learning about agriculture and the agri-food industry, and leadership and advocacy in agriculture. The one-year intensive certificate program has five courses each semester, followed by a work-integrated learning semester of 14 weeks.
The instructors include existing Olds College faculty as well as subject matter experts from other post-secondary institutions, and will provide students with the practical tools they need to start careers in agriculture communications.
“We are very excited about the first class in the first year of this program. We have achieved 90 per cent of the enrolment goal we set,” said Richardson.
The hope is that the online format will encourage students from across the country to participate, he said.
Students will be looking for work placements in spring 2024 and Richardson encourages associations and organizations in the agriculture industry to consider recruiting a student from the program.
“There’s an important opportunity to shape this program and mentor these students. Let’s build it together,” he said.
For an industry that faces growing skepticism that a lack of information or misinformation creates, training the next generation of agriculture communicators is an important goal.
“I love the ag industry and want to learn to talk about agriculture in an effective way,” said Green, adding she thinks the program will open doors to new possibilities for those who want to enrol.
“Just do it,” she said.
More information about the program is available at the Olds College website.