Assiniboine Community College (ACC) will provide a tuition-free program to train Indigenous students for jobs on farm it announced January 6.
The Agriculture Equipment Operator program is a partnership with the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples (CAP).
“Removing the cost of training, a significant obstacle to employment, allows students to gain the skills and knowledge required for entry into the job market, without worrying about funding,” said Assiniboine’s director of Indigenous education, Kris Desjarlais in a news release.
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The 14-week program starts February 2022 at the college’s North Hill campus in Brandon and is open to Indigenous people living off-reserve. It has capacity for 15 students.
It begins with a one-week preparatory course followed by an 80-hour, paid work placement. Students will learn safe farming practices and the operational skills necessary to manage many on-farm tasks.
Students will also have opportunities to build industry contacts as they take part in tours, workshops and events.
“Projected labour market shortages in this sector overall are significant, and CAP is happy to support an industry that is in need of skilled workers,” said Sarah Mitchell, national project co-ordinator with the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples.
Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) helped develop the program, the news release said.
“Producers across Manitoba are facing serious labour challenges and struggle to hire employees with the necessary skills to work on a farm,” said KAP president Bill Campbell in the news release.
“KAP was pleased to help develop the program and provide industry input to align the curriculum with agricultural labour needs,” he added.
Those interested in enrolling must first attend a free program information session as part of their admissions process into this program. For more program details and to register for an info session, visit the ACC website.
