Olds (Rural Roots Canada) – The Agricultural Manufacturers of Canada is raising awareness about the many diverse jobs in the agriculture industry through the Careers in Ag Initiative.
AMC has over 275 members representing equipment manufacturers, suppliers, and service companies in the agricultural industry.
Shannon Erickson is the Marketing and Communications manager for AMC.
“The Careers in Ag initiative was started as an opportunity to incentivize people to the many different diverse career opportunities in the agricultural industry,” says Erickson.
She adds another big focus of the initiative is helping to fill the workforce gap in agriculture for their many member companies.
AMC has set up a website, careersinag.ca, to provide information about available jobs.
Erickson says there is something for everybody, whether it’s a student looking for their first career or someone looking for a career change. It encompasses everything from research to customer service to safety to manufacturing.
“There are so many skills that are transferable, and there are so many opportunities in agriculture to bring people to the right job that meets their needs, but also fills the needs in the industry.”
READ MORE: Tomorrow Needs 4-H: Fundraising Campaign Gets Underway to Empower Canada’s Youth in Agriculture
Building on this initiative, their new mobile skills lab hit the road this past summer.
The lab is an innovative educational tool they are bringing to events to showcase the many diverse skills available in the ag industry.
“We have many unique digital technology simulations that can showcase everything from a welding simulator that can give people a feel and sense of what welding is like.”
The trailer includes digital scanning technology, which allows people to scan parts and transform them into digital information that can be uploaded into computer-aided design (CAD) software.
They also have virtual reality, which gives people a sense of what it’s like to work with Computer Numerical Control machining (CNC) or drive a combine.
“There’s something for everyone, just to experience more about the skills and how agriculture uses technology.”
If people are looking for more information, they can contact them through their website.
