The government-backed council dealing with human resources issues in the ag sector has gone online to lay out the options for skills training in agriculture.
The Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC), during its recent annual meeting in St. John’s, unveiled a new website, Agritalent.ca, an online database meant to connect Canadians to schools and other institutions and training providers that offer ag programs.
“This is an exciting time to get into and to prosper in agriculture,” CAHRC chairman Terry Murray, who operates a grain farm and feedlot at Wainwright, Alta., said in a release Wednesday.
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“There is an immediate need for people with specialized training and skills, and the possibilities are endless,” said Murray, a former CEO of the Canadian Farm Business Management Council and former vice-president of Wild Rose Agricultural Producers.
Canadian agriculture, the council said, is facing a “growing shortage of skilled workers.” Over the next five years, it estimated, 50,000 positions will need to be filled, including those of supervisory and technical specialists, machinery operators and mechanics as well as general farm workers.
The council said its new site contains information on over 1,000 programs and courses offered by training institutions across Canada, ranging from full-time degree and diploma programs to accreditation and continuing education courses.
The CAHRC described its new site as “an essential resource for youth planning a career in agriculture, persons currently employed in the sector who want to advance their career, and employers who want to expand the skill sets of their workforce.”
