Ag in the Classroom Manitoba (AITC-M) is hosting their ThinkAG Career Fair next week at the Portage Collegiate Institute where students can learn about employment and post-secondary education in Canada's Ag industry.
ThinkAG Career Fair puts a spotlight on the entire Ag industry and all the other industries that are linked to it, including technology, marketing, grain producing, cattle producing, machining, GPS technology, veterinary services, chemistry, the list goes on!
Ag in the Classroom Manitoba is a non-profit organization that's been teaching children where their food comes from for 35 years! With Canada having a talent-gap in the Ag industry, AITC is trying to share as much about the Ag industry to our student population as possible. By 2029, Canada has to fill 123,000 Ag-related jobs. That's a big number!
"Our mission is to educate teachers and students about how their food is grown and processed," shares Executive Director, Katharine Cherewyk. "We really believe that throughout Manitoba all educators and students should understand the value and contribution of agriculture, but also there are so many opportunities in the industry. So, we just want to make sure that every student when they graduate, they understand how they're connected to the industry, career opportunities, and if they don't work in the industry, we want them to understand how food gets to their plate."
"We all eat and so that's why it's important for us to understand agriculture and how we're connected to it!"
Cherewyk says the ThinkAG Career Fair is not your typical career fair. "It is designed to introduce high school students in Manitoba to a diverse range of career opportunities within the agriculture and food industry. As an integral part of the event, students will complete a brief Holland Code assessment. This assessment categorizes individuals according to their specific interests, enabling us to match them with careers that align with their preferences."
The Holland Code theory identifies six broad career interest areas: think, create, help, motivate, organize, and build. "Each exhibitor at the career fair will prominently display the Holland Codes associated with the careers they represent. In addition, we encourage exhibitors to provide information about salary ranges and the educational pathways required for each career."
"We're hoping to give students more information about the pathways into those jobs as well," she adds. "Every station will have a hands-on activity that's related to their specific field. So, students will have the opportunity to have really great conversations but also explore and gain a deeper understanding of all the opportunities."
Event Details:
- Date: Wednesday, November 22nd, 2023
- Location: Portage Collegiate Institute, Portage La Prairie, MB
- Time: 9:00 am - 3:30 pm\
"We have a suite of career development programs and resources and activities," adds Cherewyk, "and the ThinkAG Career Fair is just one of those!"