EDMONTON – The provincial government should take the lead role in promoting agriculture as a viable career choice, members of Olds College told an Alberta agriculture caucus committee.
“Somebody has got to take the leadership role. Nobody is presenting the picture of agriculture as a good career opportunity,” said Bob Lockwood, vice-president of academic services with the southern Alberta agriculture college.
Members of the college staff travel to trade shows and career fairs to promote Olds College, but there is no organization encouraging young people to choose agriculture, he said.
Read Also
Manitoba searches for Plan B on canola oil exports
A new report explores Manitoba’s current canola oil trade and possible alternative markets to the U.S.
Dennis Kennedy, dean of ag production, business and animal science, said the agriculture community should follow the lead of the petroleum industry where a large organization, not individual companies, convince students there is a good career in their industry.
“We’re having a difficult time selling the big picture,” said Kennedy, who along with Lockwood made a pitch to the all-Conservative agriculture caucus meeting.
“We don’t have any organization out there on behalf of agriculture.”
Instead of seeing the opportunities, students are turned off agriculture by worries of massive debt and low wages.
During the recent Growth Summit the government mapped out the future of Alberta for 2005 and the top priority was people development. At the same time, Alberta Agriculture has vowed to increase the amount of hog production and value-added industries in the province.
“I don’t believe targets will be met if everyone does it independently,” Lockwood said.
Olds is one of four colleges and two universities that offers courses in agriculture.
Lockwood told the caucus it wouldn’t cost the agriculture department money to speak for the industry.
Environment minister Ty Lund wondered if some of the Alberta Cattle Commission’s check-off money from livestock sales could be better used if it was directed to promoting agriculture.
Lockwood said his group sees some potential in the idea but has yet to convince any organization of the merits.
Problem areas
Some of the issues and barriers that Olds College staff say must be addressed if agriculture is to attract young people.
- Lack of a positive image of agriculture as a career choice.
- Low wages for skills required.
- Lack of a skills inventory and identification of future training needs.
- Lack of distance education.
- Lack of professional development opportunities.
- Lack of international business training opportunities.
- Lack of real world experience opportunities.
- Lack of applied research initiatives.
