The United Counties of Prescott and
Russell (UCPR) in partnership with the Prescott-Russell Employment
Services Centre (PRESC) and Groupe Convex Prescott-Russell will offer
Farm Assistance Training to support the skills development of local
Agricultural Workers, starting in September 2021.
“Agricultural businesses are an important economic pillar for our
region, and they are currently facing significant challenges related to
the accessibility of skilled labour. We are therefore pleased to offer,
in collaboration with our partners, a tangible solution for these
businesses and the workers in the area,” said Mr. Stéphane Sarrazin,
Warden of the UCPR.
These training sessions will be offered free of charge to anyone
interested in traditional farm work, greenhouse farming, and agri-food
production. They will be designed to provide candidates with the
essential skills, technical skills, and employability-enhancing skills
needed to perform farm support work. Over the next few months, the three
organizations will develop a curriculum and share details related to
registration and delivery of training.
“Farming and agricultural workers have been the backbone of
communities across Ontario”, said Mr. Monte McNaughton, Minister of
Labour, Training and Skills Development. “This training program will
give a hand up to those who are looking for meaningful local jobs that
will make them and their neighbours stronger”.
“The PRESC works closely with agricultural employers in the region,
and we see an urgent need to develop the workforce in this sector. This
training program has been designed in collaboration with key players in
the sector to quickly address this need while providing an opportunity
for professional development to interested candidates,” explains Ms.
Caroline Arcand, Executive Director of the PRESC.
“Through The Harvesters cooperative, we are proud to offer our
expertise in agriculture to train new candidates and allow them to find a
job in one of the region’s fine agricultural enterprises,” adds Mr.
Simon Durand, Executive Director of Groupe Convex Prescott-Russell.
This Employment Ontario project is funded in part by the Government
of Canada and the Government of Ontario through the province’s
SkillsAdvance Ontario initiative. The funding amount for the project is
$271,734.
Photo – The Harvesters
Left to right: Mélanie Blanchard, Mélanie Cholette, Chantal Lavigne, Steven Brickenbridge, Stéphane Cléroux.
*The photo was taken before the pandemic.