For youth to become involved in agriculture, the agri-food sector needs to play a major role, using three steps (exposure, engagement, and influence) to encourage youth to select a career in agriculture and food.
Three ways to recruit the next generation of ag employees
Talking to kids about where food comes from
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Classroom Agriculture Program is seeking volunteers willing to go to schools and talk to Grade 4 students about agriculture. Since 1985, producers and others in the ag sector have made presentations to more than 600,000 students. The provincially funded program provides participants with training for their one-hour presentation (in March, April, or May) as[...]
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College pioneers first livestock research student-managed farm
Managing a research herd is a different ball of wax, and students and instructors say it teaches many new skills
Reading Time: 3 minutes Sixteen students are getting a taste of applied research as part of Lakeland College’s first student-managed farm livestock research team. The second-year students, all enrolled in animal science technology, are managing a herd of 50 cattle involved in research trials. “They have to manage the herd for profitability, but we also have a commercial (cattle)[...]
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Ag apprenticeship program opening doors for high school students
Two-thirds Alberta’s Green Certificate program grads find work and one-quarter go on to an agricultural post-secondary program
Reading Time: 3 minutes Two-thirds of high school students who complete Alberta’s Green Certificate program end up working in the agriculture industry. In a survey of recent program graduates, the province found that 67 per cent of students were successful at finding employment in agriculture after finishing the Green Certificate program and 63 per cent are still employed in[...]
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Agriculture risk management program approved
Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta Advanced Education has granted its approval to Lethbridge College’s Agriculture Business Risk Management (AgBRM) certificate program. The program was launched a year ago, and those completing it were initially awarded a credential of academic achievement. The provincial certificate approval provides a variety of benefits, including making students eligible for student loans. The program was[...]
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Albertan one of six scholarship winners
Reading Time: < 1 minute David MacTaggart of Lacombe is one of six winners of scholarships from the Canadian Agri-Business Education Foundation. The scholarships, worth $2,500, are given to Canadian students entering their first year at an accredited agriculture college or university. The foundation encourages students to pursue their passion for agriculture and to bring their new ideas and talent[...]
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Monsanto Fund offering 65 scholarships
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Monsanto Fund Opportunity Scholarship Program is now accepting applications from Grade 12 students — and this year applicants can be from non-farm backgrounds. The program has traditionally offered 65 entrance scholarships valued at $1,500 each to graduating Grade 12 students from farm families pursuing post-secondary studies in agriculture or agriculture-related fields. This year, eligible[...]
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Funding available for agricultural business skills training
Business Management Skills Program will cover 75 per cent of tuition fees or the cost of hiring an instructor for a group
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Business Management Skills Program is now accepting applications. “This program helps agricultural producers, new producers and processors, agri-processing industry staff, and producer groups improve their business management skills through timely training and targeted skills development,” said Stephanie Kosinski, business opportunity grant specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. The Growing Forward 2 funded program aims[...]
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Rural Alberta students promote ag in Calgary
Acme high school students became teachers for a day
Reading Time: < 1 minute Two high school students from Acme — Monique Uittenbogerd and Maria Penner — recently became teachers for the day, educating over 100 Little Green Thumbs elementary students in Calgary about life on the farm. The Little Green Thumbs program is part of Ag for Life’s educational outreach efforts and informs 5,000 students across Alberta about[...]
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Applications open for $20,000 4-H scholarship
Four categories are available for members to enter
Reading Time: < 1 minute Senior 4-H youth members could earn a $20,000 scholarship from Leadership Excellence Awards of Distinction (L.E.A.D.). The L.E.A.D. awards recognize outstanding 4-H’ers who epitomize 4-H youth empowerment, have gained critical life skills through their 4-H experience, and who have positively impacted their community. There are four categories: community engagement & communications; environment & healthy living;[...]
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Cyber-Savvy Farmer
