Skills training program a hit with farm families

Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food

Apparently, it’s never too late for Saskatchewan farm families to learn something new. They are accessing learning opportunities through the Canadian Agricultural Skills Service Program (CASS), which began offering support and assistance in June 2005.

The Centre for Agribusiness Training and Education (CATE), which is a branch of the Saskatchewan Council for Community Development, helps to deliver the CASS program by maintaining a listing of training courses in Saskatchewan that are registered with CASS.

The program is aimed at farm operations with net family income under $45,000 per year, as well as at new entrants to farming. Financial support is available which, depending on the qualifying income, can go as high as $16,000. Funding is available for tuition and other related expenses such as textbooks, travel, and even replacement labour, if necessary. Interested people can call the CASS toll-free line or visit the CATE website to get information on the program, and then start looking for programs in their areas.

A wide range of skills training options are offered on the CATE website, and Dirkson says there has been a great deal of interest from producers who are looking for training options, particularly in computers.

“They are realizing that they need computer skills in order to move their farms forward,” Dirkson stated. “You can start at basic computer training and move all the way up to advanced skills.” According to Dirkson, the majority of farmers investigating computer training programs are older adults. Courses are available from a wide variety of public and private institutions.

In addition to computer training, Dirkson says many farm families are accessing the CATE website in search of training to augment or create off-farm income. Some of the more popular areas on the CATE website relate to “welding, trucking for people getting their 1-A licenses, and a lot of health care therapies,” she noted.

There are also numerous offerings in the program specifically intended to assist farmers in enhancing their business management and agricultural practices.

Anyone interested in accessing the CASS program should call 1-888-887-7977 or visit the CATE website at www.agtraining.ca.

For more information, contact:
Lesley Dirkson, Program Officer
Centre for Agribusiness Training and Education
Phone: 1-800-641-8256