Mobile skills lab launches at Ag in Motion

Chad Havixbeck remembers the moment he realized the scope of labour challenges the agriculture industry faces.

The technical sales representative with PAMI, based in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, was in one of his early university agriculture classes. One of his classmates asked a basic question.

“She asked ‘what’s swathing?’ and I thought to myself ‘what’s she doing here?’ but then I realized there are more students like that every year,” he said at the launch of a Careers in Ag mobile demonstration trailer at Ag in Motion. “We just don’t have enough people to keep up.”

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This year features 607 exhibitors, the highest number ever, and an expected attendance of 30,000 people — more than double the attendance of the first show in 2014, which had 12,000 people through the gates.

Careers in Ag is an effort by the Agricultural Manufacturers of Canada (AMC) and its membership to showcase the exciting opportunities in agriculture to youth across Saskatchewan. The trailer, dubbed a ‘mobile skills lab’ will be popping up at fairs, trade shows and other events in the coming months and years. It will showcase the high tech and varied opportunities in the sector using virtual reality and experiential learning.

Donna Boyd, president of AMC, said youth need to know about the opportunities available to them in the sector.

“A career in agriculture offers an opportunity to participate in one of the most successful industries in Canada,” Boyd said at the official launch event.

Bob Cochrane, general manager of Hyline Manufacturing and a board chair for AMC, called the launch an important milestone for the organization and the farm equipment sector generally.

“We’re very proud to be involved,” he said.

Havixbeck added that having the opportunity to show young people the opportunities in agriculture manufacturing will be important for the future success of the sector.

“This is such a great thing to see in agricultural manufacturing,” he said.