Angela Pearen, the Coordinator, Ag Extension Russ Edwards School of Agriculture & Environment at the Assiniboine Community College in Brandon, MB said the Swine Production Foundations course is rolling.
“Some students have finished a couple of courses, but no one has finished the full program yet, but we’ve had students start different courses.”
The Advanced Swine Production just got underway, including a group of supervisors looking to take training in production practices.
“The advanced program has two courses, which we didn’t have ready to roll a year ago.”
Pearen said the feedback for the swine production foundations is very positive. That’s for those looking to move into a swine technician role. The feedback there is the online format works well because it enables people to work full-time and also take their training to allow them to take other positions within a farm.
“What’s been interesting for us is the equal number of Manitoba students as well as students outside of the province, and so that was something we weren’t expecting.”
This includes a student from Saskatchewan and students from Ontario, so the inquiries from outside Manitoba are exciting.
The students include an equal number of male and female employees.
“And the interesting part is half are working as swine technicians, so this would be upskilling for them.”
The other ones work differently within the barn, like a feed manager or several who drive feed trucks. So it’s getting them to base knowledge on what happens to the feed they’re delivering and how that moves through the barn, animals, and everything else.
This diversity is new because initially, it was to train people to be swine technicians. But broadening that out for folks with other roles within the farm operation so that they’re getting an understanding of that complete sense, and also enables them probably to cover off for other people if they suddenly need more people in the barn, then this person now has that skill.
“So they can move people around in different roles within the farm. So, lots of learning, but things we didn’t have on our radar a year ago when we first spoke.”
Pearen’s involvement in the Swine Production Foundations program stemmed from Manitoba Pork’s collaboration with Assiniboine Community College approximately three years ago. She explained that the college had previously run a pork technician apprenticeship program that didn’t yield the desired benefits for the industry. As a result, they engaged in extensive discussions with Manitoba Pork for about a year, eventually repurposing the learning outcomes from the apprenticeship program to construct the Swine Production Foundations, Advanced Swine Production, and Swine Production Leadership programs.
Working closely with representatives from independent farms, Maple Leaf, Hylife, Manitoba Pork, and the Canadian Pork Council, the college aimed to design a curriculum that aligned more effectively with the industry’s needs.
Pearen, responsible for delivering extension programming at the college, was involved in this process from the program’s inception. Expressing her enthusiasm, she eagerly anticipated witnessing the students’ achievements as they completed the program, highlighting the significance of obtaining a document of achievement in either Swine Production Foundations, Advanced Swine Production, or Swine Production Leadership upon graduation, a milestone anticipated in approximately one year.
Pearen elaborated on the two programs tailored for supervisors, emphasizing the need to identify individuals with potential for supervisory roles within the swine production sector. The first program, Advanced Swine Production, comprised two courses. The first course focused on production practices, emphasizing the implementation of best practices and the monitoring responsibilities typically associated with supervisory roles.
“This course we designed in response to valuable feedback received from industry partners, which helped differentiate the roles and responsibilities of supervisors within the barns,” said Pearen.
The program then incorporated a course on swine professionalism aimed at honing core skills required for effective supervision. Topics covered in this course included conflict resolution, disciplinary actions, staff training, and evaluation.
The Advanced program further delved into Swine Professionalism 2, deeper into higher-level human resources components pertinent to managerial roles. Components such as hiring, firing, and interviewing were extensively covered, reflecting the evolving responsibilities of individuals transitioning into managerial positions.
The Leadership program, an advanced extension of the Advanced program, emphasized a combination of online pre-work and in-person sessions, fostering direct interactions between students, industry experts, and professionals from across Canada. The program aimed not only to enhance supervisory and professionalism skills but also to facilitate the development of a robust professional network within Manitoba and beyond. Pearen’s comprehensive explanation highlighted the college’s proactive approach to preparing future industry leaders through targeted and practical educational initiatives. •
— By Harry Siemens
