Assiniboine Community College in Brandon has introduced a new program that could reduce the labour shortage in agriculture and increase the number of Indigenous people working on farms.
Starting in February, the college will offer a 14-week, tuition-free, agriculture equipment operator program. The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples is funding the program, which is open to Indigenous people living off-reserve.
The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples provides a voice for “off-reserve status and non-status Indians, Métis and Southern Inuit Aboriginal Peoples,” its website says.
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One of its programs is called ISET, which offers Indigenous Skills and Employment Training.
“A key objective of the ISET program is to provide skills training to off-reserve Indigenous people that address gaps in the labour market,” said Sarah Mitchell, national project co-ordinator with the Congress. “CAP is happy to support an industry (agriculture) that is in need of skilled workers.”
There is currently a shortage of workers on farms and in agricultural businesses across Canada.
Research from Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC), based on a survey of agricultural producers, found that a high percentage of farmers couldn’t find a sufficient number of workers in 2020.
“Two in five employers surveyed were not able to find all the workers that they needed. Of these, 60 percent experienced productions delay and lost sales,” which cost Canadian farmers about $2.9 billion in lost sales, CAHRC said.
The pandemic has exacerbated the labour shortage, but thousands of Canadian producers have struggled to find workers for years.
The Assiniboine Community College program isn’t going to solve the labour shortfall, but it could make a difference for a few farmers. And could open a door for indigenous people to a career in agriculture.
“Producers across Manitoba are facing serious labour challenges and struggle to hire employees with the necessary skills to work on a farm,” said Keystone Agricultural Producers president Bill Campbell. “KAP was pleased to help develop the program and provide industry input to align the curriculum with agricultural labour needs.”
The program has a limit of 15 students for the 14-week course.
For more information, go to https://assiniboine.net/programs/agriculture-equipment-operator
Contact robert.arnason@producer.com
