While you may expect farms to look for candidates with a farming background, all skills and educational backgrounds can contribute to the agri-food sector.
While there are many advantages to working in the agri-food sector, attracting and retaining employees to work on Ontario’s farms has been a long-standing challenge. The agriculture industry’s national labour shortage is approximately 60,000 workers, with about 45,000 seasonal agricultural workers coming to Canada every year.
The agri-food sector is experiencing a shift — economically, socially, and technologically. Not only are career opportunities increasing, but a change in skills demand and innovation is shaping the next generation. The agri-food sector encourages everyone, regardless of their educational background, to pursue careers in the agri-food sector. Growing and purchasing local food could intrigue today’s curious job seekers, and the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) hopes to inspire those in search of a rewarding career.
In early 2020, OFA launched the Feeding Your Future initiative to address the ongoing labour gap faced by the agri-food industry. The project includes free virtual career fairs, webinars, and training to help match those looking for jobs with agri-food employers. The sector has a wide array of employment opportunities, from positions in science and technology to marketing and communications. While you may expect farms to look for candidates with a farming background, all skill types and educational backgrounds can provide unique contributions to today’s agri-food operations, from field to fork.
OFA understands that the incoming generation expects open communication and transparency, positive recognition and workplace culture, an open learning and skill-building environment, and training to support physical and mental health. For those seeking a rewarding career growing food for Canadians and beyond, look no further than the agriculture and food sector for your next employment opportunity.
