World Skills Day, celebrated annually on July 15, serves as a global reminder of the importance of equipping youth with essential skills that support economic growth, foster entrepreneurship and drive innovation.
As technology and the demand for digital skills continually rise, EMILI is committed to helping youth develop vital competencies in technology application, employee readiness, and human skills.
There are many great work-integrated opportunities happening right now. Organizations such as BioTalent Canada, ICTC, and Manitoba Agriculture offer post-secondary placement opportunities and funding to support the agri-talent pipeline. These programs provide youth with opportunities to gain hands-on experience, explore diverse career paths, and apply their academic knowledge in real-world settings,” said EMILI’s Manager of Skills and Talent, Rachel LeClair
EMILI is working closely with our partners to support and facilitate STEM programs, career panels, and work-integrated learning opportunities. Early exposure to digital agriculture careers enables young people to develop essential skills relevant to today’s agricultural sector.
The most sought-after skill sets in the digital agriculture industry include:
- Technical Agriculture Skills such as soil science, plant breeding, genetics, agronomy
- Technology Skills such as data analysis and management
- Business Skills such as financial literacy, export market identification
- Human Skills such as communication, teamwork, problem solving, collaboration, work ethic
EMILI had an opportunity to discuss these skills and demonstrate how technology is used on farms as part of Canadian Agriculture Literacy Month.
Rachel LeClair introduces students to ozobots during Canadian Agriculture Literacy Month (Photo credit: Jennifer Cox).
Students got up close and personal with the Ozobots, a small trainable robot that use sensors to follow an interactive farm map. These robots teach students about the capabilities of machine learning and how it’s being incorporated into Canadian agriculture.
The Skills and Talent team is also creating career profiles to highlight the most popular and in-demand careers in digital agriculture, providing a roadmap for the next generation of agricultural innovators.
“We want youth to understand the diverse career paths in agriculture. These careers cover everything from flying drones and understanding soil science to developing AI software, processing data, and offering digital agriculture consulting.”
Visit our Work Integrated Learning page to learn about programs and opportunities for students and employers.
Written by Antonio De Luca, EMILI Communications Assistant