CAHRC and AGRIcarrières Partner to Launch AgriWorplace Skills Training Program

Ottawa, ON – The Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC) and AGRIcarrières are pleased to announce their partnership to launch the AgriWorplace Skills Training Program Launch funded by the Government of Canada’s Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program (SWSP). 

The AgriWorkplace Skills Training Program, modeled after the apprenticeship programming  delivered by AGRIcarrières in Québec, aims to improve the skills and knowledge of the Canadian agriculture workforce and support the growth of the industry. It makes it possible to develop and recognize skills related to the daily exercise of the agricultural  profession. The training occurs entirely within an organization, with the employer or a skilled employee, known as a journeyman, sharing their expertise with an apprentice. 

“The need for skills development and training supports for agricultural employers has been a recognized need shared by industry. These types of partnerships are essential to the agriculture industry as we work together to build on and expand  successful programs,” said Jennifer Wright, Executive Director of CAHRC. “This collaboration between CAHRC and AGRIcarrières is a significant step forward in the right direction.”

“The relationship between AGRIcarrières and CARHC is well-established. This project highlights our commitment to sharing our most effective skills development practices and to making them accessible to a growing  number of agricultural producers, with flexible learning tools adapted to the reality on  the ground", Geneviève Lemonde, CEO of AGRIcarrières.

CAHRC’s longstanding efforts to clarify the work conducted in modern agriculture has led to the development of over 75 National Occupational Standards (NOSs) across 16 different commodity groups. The Council had the opportunity to collaborate with industry stakeholders and recognize the benefits of AGRIcarrières’ apprenticeship programming, which was designed to enable employers to provide their workers with structured training based on Québec's occupational standards. AGRIcarrières has experienced great success delivering its programming and has continued to enhance its training platform and tools to support employers and job seekers in agriculture. They served as an advisory group member for two of CAHRC's previous initiatives to create the National Agricultural Occupational Framework, and they are presently collaborating closely with CAHRC to develop the Council's latest training program. 

Upon completing the AgriWorkplace Skills Training Program Launch, employers will possess the necessary abilities to better train their employees according to national occupational standards. They will also have access to an interactive training tracking tool to monitor their workers' advancement. Moreover, the program helps training participants overcome barriers that previous research has identified, including childcare and transportation supports. The current program encompasses dairy, crop, cattle, pork, greenhouse, apple and mushroom production.

The AgriWorkplace Skills Training Program Launch is set to launch on October 12. 

For more information on the program, please visit the website.