Take newly named Lethbridge Polytechnic valedictorian Paul Skretting.

Growing up in Lethbridge, Alta., and graduating from Catholic Central High School, Skretting chose to attend the polytechnic because it was close to home and offered the hands-on experience he needed.

WHY IT MATTERS: With many in the agricultural industry reaching retirement age, the younger generation will need to fill those gaps — and those arriving from non-traditional routes are especially promising for the future of the industry.

“I was shocked,” said Skretting in a Lethbridge Polytechnic press release, when he heard he had been selected as valedictorian.

“I am not your typical (agriculture) student because I don’t come from a farm, so to graduate at the top of the class is quite an achievement for me.”

A grandfather’s influence

It was his grandfather who inspired him to pursue his agronomy diploma in Agricultural Sciences.

“My grandpa was a farmer, and he was the first person I ever worked for,” said Skretting.

“It kindled a joy and a yearning for knowledge in this industry. I have fond memories of spending weekends as a kid branding, fixing fences and freezing my fingers feeding cows in the winter.”

Since working for his grandfather, Skretting has gained experience as an agriculture mechanic and more recently as an agronomist — a career he plans to continue after completing the polytechnic’s Bachelor of Agriculture Science post-diploma degree.

Highlights in his program included working in the campus greenhouses, along with field trips and networking at events such as Ag Expo, Western Tractor Days and the Irrigated Crop Production Update.

Skretting’s passion didn’t go unnoticed by Lethbridge Polytechnic staff. Kristy Vavra, Agriculture Sciences instructor, said he has been an exceptional student from the beginning, constantly contributing to class discussions, leading by example and creating a positive learning environment for his peers.

“With his work ethic, integrity and passion for agriculture, Paul will make an impact in whatever area of the industry he chooses.”

This year’s Spring Convocation ceremonies will be held on May 22 in the Val Matteotti Gymnasium. Skretting will lead the procession and speak at the event.

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The two-year science program prepares students for advanced studies in veterinary medicine through coursework in animal genetics, biochemistry, anatomy, physiology and nutrition, with hands-on lab experience throughout.

Transfer pathway to U of C veterinary medicine

A transfer agreement with the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine allows students who complete a 10-course requirement to apply directly to the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program.

Career pathways for pre-vet grads

Graduates also have several other pathways:

• Continue into Lethbridge Polytechnic’s Bachelor of Agricultural Sciences post-diploma degree
• Pursue the MCAT for medical school admission
• Enter the workforce as a laboratory assistant, animal researcher, livestock technician or animal nutrition consultant
• Rural vet clinics in Alberta are also offering paid summer placements through a new SCAP-funded grant program

Apply for fall 2026

For more information or to apply, visit lethpolytech.ca/pre-vet. Prospective students can also attend Lethbridge Polytechnic’s Winter Open House on Sunday, March 22, from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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Low student numbers and a reduced demand for craft beer have prompted the closure of both the program and the brewery.

WHY IT MATTERS: The Craft Beverage and Brewery Operations program at Olds College was the only one of its kind in Alberta.

“The student enrolment really declined last year,” said Dennis Beaudoin, dean of the School of Trades and Skills at Olds College.

“It declined to the point where we didn’t have enough students to actually run the cohort.”

In February 2025, Olds College decided to suspend student intake for the Craft Beverage and Brewery Operations program. The last group of students will graduate in April 2026.

Once the student intake was suspended, the college conducted a market analysis.

“I don’t think it’s much of a surprise to say the craft beverage industry has certainly declined, so the student demand just wasn’t there any more for the diploma,” he said.

Olds College has two breweries on campus. One is the commercial brewery at the Pomeroy Hotel, which will be closed in June 2026. The other brewery is a teaching brewery.

“We’re going to be looking at the program and see what we want to do moving forward. We may bring it back as a certificate, or it may go through our continuing education so that we can still serve some of the interest that’s out there,” he said.

The Olds College Craft Beverage and Brewery Operations program was the only one in the province.

Decline of program and craft brewing market

When the program began in 2013, there was a cohort of 25 students with a waitlist twice as long. The program was a two-year diploma.

“Back in 2013, there was a lot of student demand and then actually right from that day forward is when the decline started to happen,” said Beaudoin.

Student cohorts began to consist of 10-15 people.

“What’s happening with the last one, we were down to single digits for student interest. And that’s what led to the closure.”

Beaudoin said the craft brewery market has changed drastically over the years.

From 2010 to 2012, people began opening craft breweries, and there was a lot of competition and breweries promoting their products. Since 2023, alcohol consumption has declined drastically.

“When you look at the market mix, when you look at beer or spirits or anything like that, what’s happening is a kick on the beer side. Spirits have been maintaining their market share, but beer has taken a drastic hit with their market share,” he said.

Young people today are not drinking as much as older generations, and many people are cutting down on alcohol consumption due to financial constraints, said Beaudoin.

The commercial brewery initially opened in partnership with the Pomeroy Hotel on campus. Olds College had a hospitality program, which they ran through the hotel and decided to start the brewery program.

The program focused on beer to start, but as student demand declined the program began to include meads, wine and seltzers.

“We changed the way we delivered the program over the last couple of years, but it’s still not doing what we need to do to make sure we’re making the college sustainable,” he said.

Beaudoin said while the decision has been made, there’s still a lot of sadness over the closure of the brewery.

Nine staff will be let go by the end of June. This includes the staff from the brewery and a couple of faculty members.

“If there was anyone who wanted to save this program, it was me. I think everyone here is disappointed because (the brewery) was a real fabric of Olds College,” he said.

“It’s no secret that post-secondaries across the sector are having challenges, and we’re all trying to figure out ways to be sustainable. And unfortunately, this is one of the decisions we had to make.”

The Olds College Brewery will remain open for sales until June 2026 and is open to anyone who wants to stop by and support its final season of brewing.

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That connection is needed now more than ever as the veterinary profession faces a crisis-level shortage across North America.

The shortage of veterinarians is reaching near-crisis level in Alberta and much of the Prairies.

The U of C has been able to double its capacity to 100 seats, thanks to $68.5 million in funding from the Alberta government.

“It’s pretty common for people in rural settings to own a bunch of different animals, from pets on up to horses and cattle or pigs or chickens. Those are pretty common in their environment, even if you don’t own a farm, but you live in a small town, you’re going to people in 4-H to have these opportunities,” said Robert McCorkell, associate dean of admissions for the university’s faculty of veterinary medicine.

“That gives them a very good starting point to answer the kind of questions that we ask (in interviewing). It’s important that to be a veterinarian that you’re familiar with that. There’s a small advantage to our rural applicants because they have that relationship with animals. They know how they’re used for food production. They also just know how to interact with them because they’ve been around and they’ve seen them in their environment.”

The academically demanding medical program traditionally had a reputation of being difficult to get into. However, that has been de-emphasized in recent years, and the program now requires a 3.0 grade point average and a score of 495 on the Medical College admission test.

“That’s a solid ‘B’ average. What we have determined is a GPA of 3.0 should indicate you have the skill set that you’ll be able to be successful in this demanding academic environment,” said McCorkell.

“People who score 495 or greater on the MCAT complete their health sciences program on time 90 per cent of the time. We want some assurance that if you get into a demanding program, you’re going to complete it on time. … Below 495, that drops off significantly, and so that’s kind of the threshold. These are thresholds that are very achievable.”

Canada is seeing a nation-wide shortage of veterinarians, with the agriculture industry particularly feeling the pinch.

The four-year program has access to more than 100 partner practices across Alberta and parts of British Columbia and Saskatchewan.

As well, block weeks in the earlier years provide students the opportunity to work in the field, whether it’s a feedlot or dairy/poultry farm.

The U of C also owns W.A. Ranches, a working cattle operation that was donated in 2018 for teaching and learning, research and community engagement.

“Almost every community in the province, be they rural or urban, their practices in those spaces are looking to hire. (The Canadian Food Inspection Agency) is looking to hire veterinarians. The pharmaceutical industry is looking to hire veterinarians, and this is international,” said McCorkell.

“The last study I’ve seen is in Alberta, the shortage over the next few years is something more than 600 positions. It’s a very wide range of opportunity. Whatever career path or whatever interests you, there’s going to be a lane in veterinary medicine that’ll accommodate you.”

Applications are now open for 2026.

McCorkell recently visited southern Alberta to promote the program, and he regularly makes his way to high schools and community events to answer questions.

He was a member of the first graduating class of the University of Saskatchewan’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon when it first opened in 1969. Alberta sent about 20 students a year to the school before the U of C opened its own veterinary medicine program in 2008.

Alberta’s population has increased significantly in that period, creating a huge demand in the field.

“Alberta grew from something less than two million population to something approaching four million. Opportunities for veterinarians grew as well. You end up having this demand situation that was underserved,” said McCorkell.

“When we opened in 2008, we added 30 seats that more than doubled the opportunity for Albertans that went from 20 to 50. Now, we’ve gone from 50 to 100. The labour shortage hasn’t gotten smaller. The population of the province now is pushing five million.

“This challenge we face for employment is going to be ongoing. So if they’re a young person right now, the job market I’m talking about, we’re not going to have it fixed by the time, say, you’re in Grade 10 and thinking about coming to the profession.”

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The Joe and Laverna Hranac family estate recently donated $2.8 million to the post-secondary school, the second largest single donation in the institution’s history.

The announcement was celebrated at a field day at the school’s 385-acre research facility.

“This legacy gift from Joe and Laverna Hranac ensures our students and researchers can continue to work alongside industry partners to solve real-world agricultural challenges,” Brad Donaldson, president and chief executive officer of Lethbridge Polytechnic, said at the event.

“It’s a lasting investment in education, innovation and the agricultural community that helped shape the Hranacs’s lives.”

The gift will support operations at the school’s Research Farm, enabling the continuation and expansion of applied agriculture research and innovation. It also enhances the polytechnic’s capacity for student-focused, industry-connected agricultural research.

Lethbridge Polytechnic has been conducting applied research in agriculture for more than 30 years, most recently within the Centre for Applied Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The centre has managed operations on the research farm since 2020 as part of a lease agreement with the Alberta government.

“The Hranac family’s gift, to support the research farm, strengthens our ability to respond to emerging challenges in southern Alberta’s agriculture and agri-food sector, specifically in the areas of integrated food production systems, irrigation science and post-harvest technology,” said Andrew Dunlop, associate vice-president of research.

“Their generosity also supports the polytechnic’s commitment to hands-on, applied learning that is deeply connected to industry.”

Born and raised in southern Alberta, Joe and Laverna Hranac were lifelong sugar beet, grain and canola producers who farmed land south of Chin and Cranford. Joe passed away in 2008 and Laverna in 2022.

The Hranacs were closely connected to their extended family who say their gift to Lethbridge Polytechnic was inspired by a shared belief in the power of education and a desire to invest in students and agriculture for generations to come.

“Joe and Laverna’s roots were based in farming, and along with that they carried a love of education and family throughout their lives,” said their niece, Cindy Powell.

“They believed in working hard, helping others and creating opportunities for the next generation. This gift reflects their vision of what’s possible and the kindness they shared with everyone around them.”

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In its second year of existence in Alberta, Spuds in Tubs Farm to School took the lead from British Columbia and has seen keen interest in incorporating potato growing in the provincial school curriculum.

The Spuds In Tubs Program began in British Columbia several years ago by a potato producer, Bill Zylman, now chair of the Canadian Potato Council. He came up with the idea to teach kids in schools about agriculture and give them an opportunity to grow potatoes in tubs.

Zylman reached out to B.C. Ag In The Classroom, and they worked out the details to run the program.

“B.C. has been doing this for 15 years or more. It started there. It would be the second year (in Alberta),” said Deb Brewin, communications and promotions director at Potato Growers of Alberta.

“We doubled our numbers this year. We have 87 kits that have gone out across the province. That equals about 4,000 students who have been involved.”

Potato Growers of Alberta is in charge of the greenhouses for the program in the province, including Edmonton, Red Deer, Calgary, Lethbridge, Taber and Medicine Hat. The association also sources the local potatoes for the kits.

Ag For Life has a website that handles registrations and manages communication with teachers who take advantage of the program.

Students learn about plant biology, soil health and sustainable food production while growing potatoes. It allows them to observe and nurture the process in the tubs, making it easier to protect the potatoes from pests, weeds and Mother Nature. It can also be used as a teaching tool for a variety of school subjects.

“It gives them a hands-on experience to grow their own food. We built it around the Alberta curriculum, so this program can fall into social studies, math, science, a ton of subjects for kids Grade 3-9. That is where the focus is,” said Brewin.

“Students have already planted. We chose an early-variety potato that will be harvested for when kids are out of school in June. At that time, they’ll have their harvest party and reap the benefits of potatoes in their pots and hopefully cook them up.”

While growing sustenance for the body, the program also grows students’ appreciation for the time and care that is required in agriculture, from planting to harvesting and delivering it to the dinner table.

Brewin recalled a story where a teacher had a special needs student who was so into the project that they wanted to forgo recess to tend to the potato project because it brought them more joy.

“Hearing those types of stories really fills my heart. Teachers are supposed ot fill out a post-project report, and we get a lot of information on what they learned and things maybe we can improve on,” said Brewin.

“Ag For Life is a pretty big deal. They supply tons of ag-related resources to teachers, they go to schools with talks on programs as well. We have a very good partnership with them.”

Russet sponsors for the project include ​Alberta Potato Industry Associates, Cavendish, Edmonton Potato Growers, FW Seed Potatoes, Independent Crop Inputs, Lamb Weston, Miyanaga Farms Ltd., Old Dutch Foods, Simplot, SLM Spud Farms and Woordman Farms.

Tuber sponsors are Grassy Lake Potato Company and Jakeco Holdings.

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Due to a significant reduction in international student enrolment and a decline in operational grant funding from the Alberta government, Olds College is suspending intake into three program areas for the fall 2025 term:

• Agriculture technology integration (post-diploma certificate)

• Craft beverage and brewery operations (diploma)

• Hospitality and tourism management (certificate, diploma, post-diploma certificate)

As well, intake into the business management diploma three-day cohort on campus and the business management diploma at Concordia University College (Edmonton) are also suspended.

“Olds College remains committed to providing high-quality education, experiences and support to our students,” Debbie Thompson, Olds College interim president, said in a news release Feb. 27.

“In order to navigate the growing demands and complex issues in the post-secondary system, we’ve been reviewing our program mix to ensure we align with industry needs, student demand and institutional priorities to ensure long-term stability for Olds College. The educational journey and success of our students remain our top priority.”

Olds College will continue with second-year courses for the affected programs for current students as they complete their studies.

IRCC announced in January 2024, that a cap would be set on international student permit applications for the next two years. In 2024, that cap was set at approximately 360,000 approved study permits, which was a decrease of 35 per cent from the previous year.

However, in reality that number ended up being around 280,000 approved permits. Only 91,000 of those were approved for new students in post-secondary institutions.

In January 2025, IRCC announced it expects a 10 per cent decrease in permit approvals from the previous year.

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It opens its doors just in time to welcome a new cohort of students this week who are studying in the college’s programs like the veterinary technology diploma, veterinary technical assistant certificate and veterinary medical receptionist certificate. It’s also home to the National Meat Training Centre and retail store.

“Our goal is to create an environment where students can immerse themselves in real-world experiences, collaborate with industry professionals and make a meaningful impact on animal health,” said Dalin Bullock, dean, School of Life Science and Business in a media release. “This is a transformative step forward in how we approach animal care education.”

Initially announced in July 2020, the extensive renovation project that was completed in phases. It has enabled expanding the capacity of animal health programs from 90 students to 120 for the 2024-25 academic year.

“The expansion includes a small animal hospital with surgical, dental and radiology suites, as well as diagnostic labs and amazing animal housing space,” Bullock said. “It also aligns with large animal treatment areas on the Olds College Smart Farm — supporting a comprehensive learning experience and further enhancing our students’ practical skills and career readiness.”

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Frank Robinson started at the U of A in 1986, specializing in poultry production and physiology. He’s a longtime believer in “experiential” learning.

To celebrate Robinson’s teaching style and legacy, a group of interested individuals came together to create Frank Robinson Youth Academy for Nature, Environment and Feeding the World (FRYA). The official opening was celebrated during a reception at the University of Alberta this spring.

“We’ve long been supporters of the programs that seize upon the opportunity to provide hands-on experiential learning so the students and teachers can relate to what is being taught in the classroom and bring it to the world of work,” said Eric Newell, chancellor emeritus (2004-2008), and a member of the Newell Family Foundation, a major donor to the program. Plans for FRYA have been in development since December 2022. Newell said he and his family see the value of internships and workshops, which can be a stepping stone to a rewarding career.

• RELATED: Ag resources for teachers released

“We can’t gloss over the work that Frank Robinson has been doing with the university programs like Heifer in your Tank and the very successful Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences (ALES) mini-internship programs. The outcome of all this is students getting a tangible work experience to put on their resumés, and in most cases, receive confirmation that their learning is relevant. A very high percentage of them get their start in careers because of it.”

Newell said Robinson is widely known and respected as an inspirational voice for youth and students. “These unique, inspirational people like Frank Robinson… can take interesting experiences and make them awesome. They just inspire a huge passion for learning. It is a huge factor in making for a good student experience.”

He said FRYA’s creation is a well-deserved recognition for Robinson. It will focus on education and building youth futures as well as supporting young Canadian leaders and engaging them in real-world issues.

In addition to the ALES mini-internship program, the academy will include activities for students from kindergarten to Grade 12. They will receive hands-on learning, not just in agriculture, but in forestry, agri-foods and environmental sciences.

The ‘spark moment’

Robinson took the podium at the event and talked about the “spark moment,” when things shift and people get a new understanding of their career opportunities.

“Do you think the next generation will have the same diversity of experiences that you have? COVID kind of messed things up. People did a lot more things online and there was a lot less human interaction. We’ve cut out a lot of opportunities for experiential learning due to budget cuts. I just worry that if we aren’t working hard to make more initiatives.”

Robinson noted the development of There’s a Heifer in Your Tank program, which was part of Animal Science 200. Students had to answer questions about agriculture and explain the answers to the public. Over 10 years, 1,000 students completed the program. Presentations for the There’s a Heifer in Your Tank were held at the University of Alberta, as well as at communities all over rural Alberta.

The mini-internship program began in 2016 when a student lamented that she could not get a summer job in agriculture because she had no experience. Robinson put together a three-day program that ran during fall and spring reading weeks. Two interns were placed at a farm, in government offices or in other places where they could gain experience.

Since the fall of 2016, 995 students have participated in the mini-internships. The program helped students gain confidence, gave them new contacts and experiences and helped them network and gain summer employment. The mini-internships are now being handled by two staff, Vicky Horn and Allie Dunlop. Horn is more knowledgeable about agriculture, while Dunlop has a background in environmental sciences.

Several goals

FRYA chair Susan Schafers, a former egg farmer, said the organization has several goals. One is promoting food security. The second is building connections with youth and nature.

“We want to make sure that we are supporting and enhancing cultural diversity in the agricultural and environmental sectors. And we want to have some of these hands-on experiential learning opportunities that have youth consider careers in agriculture and the environment.”

Schafers said the mini-internships will be the flagship of FRYA. Educational programs have been developed at the dairy unit and at the Pig Science Centre on the University of Alberta’s south campus farm. There are also plans to create an educational program for students to work with poultry. FRYA will interface between a university and science setting, and figure out the best practices to teach to students, teachers, resource people and industry people.

“We want to encourage teachers and help them if there are ideas about how to teach students creatively to develop a spark moment. That’s what we want to do and that’s what FRYA is going to be doing,” Schafers said, noting that Robinson is slowly transitioning to retirement.

“I think the organization was formed to really take and build on Frank’s legacy. How can we continue all the work he started, continue it on in a structured way, in a way that could be more sustainable financially?”

The group has several donors aside from the Newell Family Foundation, and plans to apply for federal funding. “We’re in the starting phase. We’re developing a work plan for the next two to three years, trying to figure out some programming that would happen in the spring and in the summer over at south campus,” Schafers said.

Since the organization is so new, there are also a lot of logistics to figure out. FRYA hopes to partner with organizations outside of animal agriculture.

“Having the breadth of industry, you’re not just focused on primary agriculture. We want to open the whole continuum that is about science, nature and feeding the world. There are so many facets to that. I think we’re just starting,” Schafers said.

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Prairie agricultural equipment manufacturers, which are often located in smaller communities, are feeling that pinch as severely as anyone.

The Agricultural Manufacturers of Canada (AMC), an association representing that industry, has been working on behalf of its membership to address the problem.

In a joint announcement today, AMC and the Saskatchewan government unveiled a new program to help encourage people to consider careers in agriculture and agricultural equipment manufacturing.

A new high-tech “Careers in Ag Mobile Skills Lab” will begin a summer tour of Saskatchewan at Ag in Motion July 16 to 18 to help develop a “talent pipeline” for ag and ag equipment manufacturing.

The program is getting $300,000 from the Saskatchewan government.

According to the announcement, the Careers in Ag Mobile Skills Lab will utilize “virtual reality technology and other educational tools across multiple experiential learning stations. Individuals will have the unique opportunity to fully immerse themselves in the experience of a career in this dynamic industry.”

While AMC specifically represents ag equipment manufacturers, ag equipment dealers might benefit from this initiative as well. Dealers have also been vocal about the difficulty they’ve had in recruiting employees, especially skilled technicians.

“Without question, this is one of the largest challenges our industry is facing,” COO and President of the North American Equipment Dealers Association (NAEDA) John Schmeiser said late last year. “We survey our dealers once a year about what’s keeping them awake at night when it comes to workforce development, and the shortage of technicians is there.

“In that same survey, based on our dealers ’existing capacity without building a larger shop, every dealer would take three to five mechanics right now if they could find them. When you multiply that by 400 locations in Western Canada alone, it’s a shortage of what we need right now of 1,000, perhaps 1,500. That’s dealing with today’s needs, not taking into consideration what the future needs would be as well as attrition rates of older folks retiring or moving on to other industries.”

The Careers in Ag Mobile Skills Lab will make stops in several communities, visiting schools, career fairs and trade shows to showcase career opportunities. It will also focus on those already involved in the ag equipment industry to promote professional development opportunities.

“Agricultural manufacturers play an important role in driving our provincial economy and employ people in communities across Saskatchewan,” said Minister of Immigration and Career Training Jeremy Harrison in the release. “Saskatchewan is a leader in innovative agriculture and this investment ensures that agricultural equipment manufacturers will continue to attract the talent needed to support their growth.”

As newer generations enter the workforce and older ones slowly move into retirement, popular career interests tend to change. So, the Mobile Skills Lab will be a tool to promote enthusiasm for the ag equipment manufacturing industry and point out the benefits of working in it.

“Attracting the next generation of Canada’s workforce requires key messaging and engaging projects that speak to the minds and hearts of that talent,” said AMC President Donna Boyd. “From long-term career stability to protecting the environment and ensuring global food security, our industry has proven itself to be an ideal match for any Canadian looking for a stable and exciting career. AMC is proud to address the needs of our members and the industry at large with the Careers in Ag initiative. In working with the Saskatchewan Government to build and launch the Mobile Skills Lab, we are making great strides in matching our industry’s growth with the talented workforce it needs to sustain it.”

—Updated 10:35 CDT, adds photo of AMC president Donna Boyd.

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