Lakeland College administrators are introducing new Agribusiness courses this Fall as they pivot in the evolving world of business and agriculture.
The newly designed program will begin with a common first semester, after which students will have the option of choosing one of five specialties: production, marketing, agri-food and tourism, sustainability or finance. Previously, the agribusiness program only offered three focusses: livestock, crops or marketing.
By adding the three additional streams, staff say that students will dive deeper into an area they are passionate about and graduate as well-rounded professionals equipped for diverse work environments.
Geoff Brown, Dean of the School of Agricultural Sciences sees how this will broaden the appeal of course selections.
“Our re-imagined agribusiness program will continue to challenge our traditional students who have a solid agricultural background, but will also appeal to students who have never considered a career in agriculture before. The new agribusiness streams go beyond primarily production, highlighting career opportunities across the agriculture supply chain.”
Officials say that in production, students will be able to expand their agribusiness knowledge in crop, livestock or mixed farm production, while marketing will give students experience in product, price, placement and promotion.
Agri-food and tourism will allow students to develop business ideas using agricultural products in innovative ways. Sustainability will centre on managing economic, social and environmental pillars to leverage long-term success, while the finance stream will have an increased focus on business and financial management.
As well administrators say graduates of the agribusiness program will be set up to succeed in career paths that include:
• Commercial agriculture operations • Sustainability verification
• Financial lending • Entrepreneur
• Agricultural accounting • Succession planning
• Feed sales • Ag marketing
• Grain merchant • Agri-tourism.
• Livestock buyer
Additionally officials say, students will also have the opportunity to further their studies by taking another year at Lakeland to earn a second diploma or to enrol in Lakeland’s agriculture technology degree, the first of its kind in Canada. Agribusiness graduates also have the option to transfer to another post-secondary institute to complete a degree.