Today, at the College of New Caledonia Prince George campus, members of the public, business and community were invited to share their thoughts and opinions on what the skills and training needs are for northern BC’s agricultural sector.
The public information feedback sessions are funded by the Government of Canada and British Columbia through Growing Forward 2, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative.
Growing Forward 2 (GF2) is a five-year (2013-2018) policy framework for Canada’s agricultural and agri-food sector. GF2 is a $3 billion dollar investment by federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) governments and the foundation for government agricultural programs and services.
GF2 programs will focus on innovation, competitiveness and market development to ensure Canadian producers and processors have the tools and resources they need to continue to innovate and capitalize on emerging market opportunities.
This is the last of six engagement sessions hosted on all CNC campuses for those interested in the future of agricultural business in northern BC. It’s an opportunity for stakeholders to share their thoughts and ideas with the purpose of impacting what programs and training the College should develop.
“CNC is responsive to the needs of our communities and the students we serve,” said Ed Benoit, CNC Community & Continuing Education Dean. “The ability to develop programming that is relevant and current to changing markets and projected employment trends is what sets us apart as a post-secondary institution.”
This project, initiated by the government, is meant to understand labour market demands and the types of needs there are for training and the delivery of that training, in the agricultural sector. Next steps include assembling a steering committee to guide program content, draft program structure and delivery, seek funding for curriculum development and infrastructure needed for delivery, and further outreach to communities to build a student base. Training will be offered on a cost recovery basis in the near future.
“This community engagement process is the first step in developing new programming that is specific to the unique needs and growing environments in northern BC,” said Steven Storch, Project Coordinator. “We’re excited to move forward in producing skills training that will continue to meet the needs of our students, communities and industry.”