Applications open for youth jobs program
A new application intake under the Youth Employment and Skills Program will receive approximately $13.5 million in federal funding.
The initiative will provide the agricultural sector with help needed to support approximately 1,200 jobs for youth in the sector.
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YESP offers support for 50 percent of wages up to a maximum of $14,000 to agriculture employers hiring Canadian youth. Employers who hire youth facing employment barriers will be eligible for 80 percent of the cost of salaries and benefits to a maximum of $14,000 and may be eligible for an additional $5,000 to address specific obstacles to employment.
The program supports the following employees:
- Indigenous youth living with a disability, including physical, mental health related or learning disability
- racialized youth
- recent newcomers to Canada (within five years)
- single parent
- living in a low income household
- individual who left high school
- residing in a remote, northern and/or fly-in community
- living in an official language minority community
- 2SLGBTQQIA+
Employers can apply until March 25 for their project to be considered.
Applications from Indigenous employers will be prioritized for the 2024-25 program year.
For more information, email aafc.yesp-pecj.aac@canada.ca or phone 866-452-5558.
College launches digital ag program
Assinboine Community College’s Russ Edwards School of Agriculture & Environment is launching a new two-year advanced diploma program — digital agriculture technology — designed to integrate conventional agricultural practices with emerging digital technologies.
The program starts in September and includes a work integrated learning placement between the first and second year.
Students will gain experience and knowledge in technology-driven modern agricultural practices and will study precision agriculture, learning how digital integration can augment all aspects of the agriculture industry.
Hands-on learning will allow students to apply their knowledge in real-world scenarios throughout the program.
For more information, visit assiniboine.net/digitalag.
Ag literacy month marked in March
Agriculture in the Classroom Canada and its 10 provincial partners are marking Canadian Agriculture Literacy Month in March.
AITC organizations in each province will offer activities aimed at helping students learn about agriculture in an interactive and engaging way.
A new storybook, All The Farmers You Will Know, will be introduced to younger students. Written by WS Marketing, it examines different aspects of modern farm and the farmers and families who work and live on them.
Young people are encouraged to visit www.iamthefuture.ca to use a new interactive video tool to see themselves in a career in agriculture and food.Â
Last year, AITC partners created more than 184,000 student experiences in March. Hundreds of industry volunteers will visit classes across Canada again this month to share presentations, activities and personal stories to help students learn more about agriculture.
Cargill is the presenting partner.
Alta. helps fund trades training facility
The Alberta government will allocate $63 million in capital funding to the Olds College of Agriculture & Technology for the renovation and expansion of the W.J. Elliott Building.
The funding is part of the focus on modernizing infrastructure to strengthen apprenticeship and trades training.
The capital infusion will be phased over three years with $13 million slated for this year and $25 million in each of the subsequent two years.
The newly announced money comprises 90 percent of the requested funding for the project.
The government recently committed to augmenting apprenticeship seats by 3,200 in the province.
Planning for the project is underway with construction anticipated to begin in early 2025.
Community profiles developed
SouthGrow Regional Initiative and the Southern Alberta Investment and Trade Initiative have launched comprehensive community profiles on their respective websites, www.southgrow.com and www.saiti.ca.
SouthGrow is an economic development alliance comprising 30 communities in south-central Alberta, while SAITI is a coalition of economic development partners including SouthGrow, Alberta SouthWest, Economic Development Lethbridge and Lethbridge County.
The newly added community profiles will serve as resources for partners at Invest Alberta and Invest in Canada, providing key information about as many communities in the SouthGrow and AlbertaSW regions as possible.
Funding to update organic standards
The Organic Federation of Canada will receive $502,374 in federal funding to update the standards regulating the production and marketing of certified organic products.
The funding is provided through the AgriAssurance Program – National Industry Association Component, an initiative under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.
In consultation with the organic sector, the federation will update the Canadian Organic Standards to add new practices and permitted substances and revise the sections on animal welfare.
The project will focus on innovative, sustainable and ecological organic practices that can reduce the impact of climate change by capturing and storing carbon in soil and lowering greenhouse gas emissions.
