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This year, Canadian Agriculture Day is Feb. 13. Canada’s agricultural sector is facing chronic work shortages, which cost the economy $3.5 billion in 2022. One of the reasons for this shortage is the difficulty in attracting jobseekers, and in particular young people, to this sector. This article provides resources to help career professionals identify pathways, labour market information and opportunities to support jobseekers and students interested in careers in agriculture.
Agriculture and Food Workforce Development (Invest Durham) [Videos]
In this series of videos, community members share their experiences in different careers in agriculture. Videos cover careers in farming, farm finance, crop agronomy, animal nutrition and more.
Agriculture in the Classroom [Organization]
Agriculture in the Classroom (AITC-C) is a non-profit organization dedicated to agricultural education across Canada. Partnered with the 10 provinces, AITC-C delivers programs, resources and initiatives to provide current information about agriculture and food while inspiring those seeking a career in this field.
Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC) [Organization]
CAHRC, funded in part by the Government of Canada, is a non-profit organization that focuses on human resource issues in the agricultural sector. The organization works across sectors to examine human resource issues in agriculture in order to “build meaningful research-based solutions.” CAHRC also offers online training with modules for businesses to stay up-to-date with HR practices and standards. Other services offered include specialized consulting, webinars and networking opportunities.
Exploring Careers In Agriculture In Canada (Degrees & Careers) [Article]
This article provides an overview of different agricultural careers – from agricultural economist to food scientist. It also shares some universities offering courses in agriculture.
Feeding Your Future [Organization]
Through webinars, agri-training opportunities and virtual career fairs, Feeding Your Future aims to help jobseekers to learn more about agriculture and enter the workforce feeling prepared and confident. In partnership with AgCareers.com and CareersInFood.com, it also offers a “Job Matching Concierge.”
ThinkAg [Website]
ThinkAg is a career exploration website for students. It includes an assessment tool for students to identify their Holland Code. The site profiles many jobs in agriculture, with the ability to sort by location and areas of interest. ThinkAg also provides information about scholarships for agricultural education in different provinces and territories.
Union for Agriculture Workers (UFCW Canada)
UFCW Canada operates North America’s largest agriculture workers’ association, with over 13,000 members. All agriculture workers are welcome to join. The union offers resources such as parental benefits, free online skills training and information about workplace rights.
Job boards
Jobseekers who are interested in working in the agricultural sector can use the following job boards and recruitment sites to aid in their search: AGCareers.com, AgriRecruiting.com, CareersinAg.ca, Grasslands Recruitment, Litherland & Co. and ScienceCareers.
Additional reading
- Brandon’s Ag Days, education program aim to demystify farming for students (CBC)
- Reimagining tomorrow’s agriculture to attract and retain youth (Careering magazine)
- 10 Groundbreaking AgTech Startups Chosen for 2024 AgLaunch365 Accelerator Program (Global Ag Tech Initiative)
