AGRI-BUSINESS CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE:

A FEASIBILITY STUDY ON CREATING A SECTOR-SPECIFIC

SKILLS TRAINING AND EDUCATION FACILITY

FOR THE LEAMINGTON AREA

An Ontario Trillium Fund Project completed by Leamington

District Chamber of Commerce

October 31, 2017

Report researched and written by Denise Ghanam, President, Ghanam Consulting Incorporated

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Acknowledgements This report outlines the findings of the Leamington District Chamber of Commerce (LDCC) study, supported by a seed grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation for the Province of Ontario. The project was managed by the LDCC in conjunction with a representative employer steering committee. This Committee was comprised of two Chamber board members, David Campbell (2D Event Planning) and Renee Iacobelli-Daudlin (Insight Advantage), and the Chamber General Manager, Wendy Parsons. To assist in completing the project, labour market specialist, Denise Ghanam, President of Ghanam Consulting Incorporated, was hired to design and undertake the needed research and coordinate the efforts of the steering committee. The following organizations supported the project by providing a representative to the steering committee, as well as provided in-kind donations of staff time and access to meeting space: Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers Association (Glen Snoek); Highline Produce Limited (Susan McBride-Friesen); Mucci Farms Ltd. (Carol Bendo); Highbury Canco Corporation (Samantha Russell); and Pure Hothouse Foods Inc. (Mira Skaljac). Mucci Farms is also acknowledged for providing direct financial support to the project budget. LDCC is extremely grateful to these people and their organizations for the dedication to this study, and more specifically, for their expertise and invaluable input to guide the outcome of the project. The researcher and steering committee also acknowledge and thank the entire Board and staff of the Leamington District Chamber; Jeanine Berglund, former Manager of Economic & Community Development for the Municipality of Leamington; Kim Cooper, Agriculture Specialist, Economic Development for Chatham-Kent; and the many local sector employers, community organizations, and educators who participated in the research and consultation process.

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Table of Contents

Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................. 1

Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................. 3

Background to the Project ................................................................................................................... 5

Feasibility Study Process ...................................................................................................................... 7

Updated Demographic Data ................................................................................................................ 8

Analysis of Employer Survey Responses ............................................................................................. 11

Qualitative Data Analysis ................................................................................................................... 18

Assessment of Available Educational Programs .................................................................................. 25

Suggestions of Potential Programs for ACE ........................................................................................ 27

ACE Governance ................................................................................................................................ 28

Community support ........................................................................................................................... 29

Future funding for ACE ...................................................................................................................... 30

Recommendations ............................................................................................................................. 31

List of Appendices.............................................................................................................................. 33

List of Figures .................................................................................................................................... 33

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Executive Summary

This research project utilized multiple methods to develop an in-depth understanding of the four key

issues contemplated by this feasibility study:

1) Is there a skills gap in the agri-business sector? If yes, could the gap be addressed by providing

training, skills development, and secondary and post-secondary education in a local area centre

to service those needs specifically?

2) If such a centre were to be created, what type of curriculum should it offer? Who are the

potential educational partners?

3) If this centre were created, how should it be structured and governed? Which community

partners should be involved, and in what capacity?

4) How could the training at the centre be funded in the short-term, the mid-term, and a longer-

term sustainable manner?

This study has developed a clear picture of the various factors that contribute to the labour market

challenges and opportunities within the agri-business sector in Leamington-Kingsville and Chatham-Kent

areas, utilizing both primary and secondary data gathering and analysis. Background research,

interviews, an employer survey, and validation focus groups have all contributed towards building a

comprehensive picture of the demand and supply of labour, the skills required to support continued

economic growth for local agri-businesses, and the jobs with the most pressing skills shortages and gaps.

Previous research has discovered a general tightening of the local supply of labour, with indications of

increasing demand for labour over the next five years. There are limited increases expected to the size

of the existing labour pool, further exacerbated by changing regulations around the Temporary Foreign

Worker and Seasonal Agricultural Worker programs which, when combined with the skills gap, will

create staffing challenges for local employers in this growing sector.

In order to handle this tightening of the labour pool supply, employers in Essex and Kent counties will

need to expand and improve their recruitment efforts. Additionally, the labour force needs to enhance

its skill level in order to meet specific hiring gaps and to attain those positions in the sector that offer

longer term career potential, growth, and better compensation levels. Local agri-business firms need

support to locate potential employees or develop their own talented people with the right attitudes and

the right skills, and to retain them effectively within their firms in order to continue to succeed in the

future.

The analysis of both the employer survey and the supporting qualitative data provides evidence that

there is a need for an agri-business focused, locally-sourced education centre at the secondary and post-

secondary levels, as well as community supported and geographically accessible training for the

development of workplace soft skills, foundational skills, and job-related technical skills. There are

significant challenges in hiring at the entry level for the sector, especially with foundational and soft

skills. In terms of a mid-career skills gap, the most predominant need was for leadership development,

especially for frontline supervisory roles where employees are often promoted from within the

organization. As well, there was a requirement for upgrading many job-specific skills where technology

has changed or progressed significantly, such as in maintenance, packaging, and growing environments.

Many of these job roles could benefit from an apprenticeship approach in the education curriculum, or

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at the very least, an experiential learning component added to the post-secondary programs that

prepare students and support these occupations.

Developed from our broad based approach and inter-connected findings, this study presents a few

simple recommendations. It is anticipated that the Leamington District Chamber of Commerce,

together with support from Municipal governments in Leamington, Kingsville, and Chatham-Kent, will

take a leadership role in implementing these concepts within the community. The recommendations are

as follows (with supporting detail provided in the body of this report):

1) Develop and implement a series of short-term pilots funded through employer-support

programs. These pilot training initiatives will focus on pre-hire training for entry level roles,

enhancing technical job skills, and leadership development for frontline supervisors. These

small pilots could be run by the current steering committee beginning in November 2017 and

running through May 2018;

2) Apply for Grow Grant funding through Ontario Trillium Foundation to support a mid-term pilot

post-secondary diploma in Growing Technology, with an internship component. The application

process and oversight of the pilot program could be supported by expanding the current

steering committee with additional local employers (especially from Chatham-Kent). This pilot

program would apply for funding in June of 2018, and undertake the pilot program from

September 2018 through December 2019; and

3) If the Grow Grant application is successful, create a permanent process and appoint a

governance board for the Agri-Business Centre of Excellence (ACE) with a mandate to assess the

pilots and obtain permanent employer, government, educational institution, and community

funding for long-term sustainability from 2019 going forward.

Given the above recommendations, the ACE will enable our local area to better support growers, food

processors, and greenhouse operators in finding skilled people for work in this industry and in further

developing the talents of the existing workforce. This phased approach will utilize a number of smaller

workforce development pilots, then transition to a single post-secondary diploma pilot program,

allowing for sufficient time to ascertain and adjust the mandate of the ACE to ensure long-term viability.

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Background to the Project

Ontario Trillium Foundation has provided the Leamington District Chamber of Commerce (LDCC) with a

grant to assess the feasibility of creating an Agri-business Centre of Excellence (ACE) for training and

skills development for the local agricultural sector, which includes field crop growers, mushroom farms,

orchards and vineyards, animal farms, greenhouse operators, and food processors (including wineries,

distilleries, and operations involving the canning, juicing, or packaging of fresh or frozen grown-food

products). This grant was developed as a result of assessments and recommendations made from the

Chamber’s previous work in the Leamington Labour Market Partnership (LLMP) project.

Ontario agri-businesses are innovative, internationally competitive, and adaptive to the challenges and opportunities associated with changing consumer demands. The sector is one of the most important economic drivers in the province. Together, these industries employ approximately 1 in 9 Ontarians and contributed $37.55 billion in GDP to the provincial economy, representing 5.93% of total Ontario GDP in 2016.1 The majority of Canada’s food processing industry is located in Ontario, accounting for 41 percent of Canada’s GDP in food processing. Nationally, the food processing sector is the second largest manufacturing industry, with shipments valued at $105.5 billion.2 In 2013, Premier Kathleen Wynne challenged the agri-food sector to double its annual growth rate and create 120,000 jobs by 2020. It is estimated that Ontario must increase its production of food ingredients per unit of farmland by at least three percent per year in order to meet the Premier’s target, as well as the demands of a growing provincial population.3 In keeping with this Government of Ontario focus on enhancing the food production capability within our province, the regions of Leamington-Kingsville in Essex County and Chatham-Blenheim in Kent County have a large number of these types of growing and processing organizations. In particular, this region has become a cluster for the innovative and developing greenhouse sector. Greenhouse farming is thriving in Ontario and contributes substantially to the agricultural landscape, creating local jobs and supporting healthy living initiatives across the province. The Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers Association (OGVG) is responsible for licensing all growers, packers, and marketers of Ontario greenhouse tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers. Currently, OGVG has over 200 growers, representing nearly 2800 acres of high-tech hydroponic greenhouse production, most of which is geographically located in Essex and Kent counties. Ontario’s greenhouse growers have invested heavily in innovation that increases efficiency and lowers cost by reducing inputs while maintaining a productive crop. According to their website, the economic value of Ontario greenhouse commodities represented by OGVG has grown from $6.7 million in 1967 to over $820 million in farm value in 20154.

1 Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) Website http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/stats/economy/gdp_agrifood.htm 2 Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). Significance of the Food and Beverage Processing Industry in Canada.

http://www.agr.gc.ca/eng/industry-markets-and-trade/statistics-and-marketinformation/by-product-sector/processed-food-and-beverages/significance-of-the-food-and-beverage-processing-industry-incanada/?id=1174563085690. 3 Sustainable Farms. 2015. Farm, Food & Beyond: Our Commitment to Sustainability. http://www.sustainablefarms.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/OurFarmSustainableAgenda-LR.pdf. Pg. 3. 4 OGVG 2016 Fact Sheet http://ogvg.com/about

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In general, greenhouse growers are early adopters of innovation, with many operations installing state of the art equipment and implementing best practices, such as:

Water and nutrient recirculation equipment;

High tech disinfection systems;

High efficiency boilers and heat storage facilities;

Energy/shade curtains to improve heat retention in the winter and shade the crop in the summer;

Computerized and automated crop management systems based on sensor feedback that allow nutrients, irrigation, heating, and cooling to be precisely tailored to the crop’s needs at any point during the day or night; and

Installation of CO2 units on boilers to effectively capture and re-use this combustion by-product, allowing the crop to benefit from higher CO2 levels during times of high photosynthetic activity.

Similarly, a number of the local food processors have created innovations in packaging or in their

manufacturing processes which have led to the creation of new market opportunities, or expanded

reach and shelf life for their existing products. In order to support and sustain this innovation, and the

growth it generates for the local economy and the individual agri-businesses, organizations need ready

access to a skilled workforce. This workforce must have the most up-to-date technical skills, and the

foundational and soft skills which ensure a positive and productive working environment.

This labour force development issue was clearly cited in the Chamber’s LLMP final report 5 and

recommendations, which were released in April 2016. A number of the ideas from that initial report

have been actioned or are currently underway in the community. Examples of this are:

The customer service training initiative recently conducted by the Chamber in conjunction with

Workforce WindsorEssex (WFWE);

Support for the development of local entrepreneurs through the work of Windsor-Essex Economic

Development Corporation (WEEDC), the Business Resource Centre of Essex, and the new concept of

the Leamington Business “Hothouse” for startups; and

Work that has been undertaken by the Municipality to create a community partner engagement

program, which includes a matrix of available services and supports for customers, employers, and

community use.

This demonstrates the will and commitment of the employer base and the local government to address

issues that could hamper economic development. In general, current workforce development takes a

more regional approach including the entire Windsor CMA and Essex County; this approach is often not

specific enough (at a micro-level) to truly reflect the needs of the Leamington-Kingsville and Chatham-

Kent areas and their growing sector.

Specific to the agri-business sector, the LLMP identified a number of areas of concern related to skills

shortages, training, and development. In addition to new technologies noted above, growers in Essex

and Kent counties are investing in an increasingly diversified set of products, including vegetables for

ethno-cultural markets, bioenergy, and potentially pharmaceuticals. These innovations will require

expertise in technology, research, and marketing support in order to succeed. Hopefully, the noted skills

gap and identified action areas will serve as a catalyst to move the community forward in addressing the

educational and training needs of its existing and future workforce. Leamington and the surrounding

5 Leamington Labour Market Partnership Project: Final Report to the Community, Employment Ontario, April 2016

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areas of Essex and Kent counties are now in a position to address these challenges before they truly

hamper substantial economic and business growth. This feasibility study, and the concept of a training

and education centre for this area, are critical components in that effort.

Feasibility Study Process

The study employed a mixed-methods approach6 to develop an in-depth picture of the various factors

that contribute to the labour market in the Leamington-Kingsville area and how these factors may affect

the creation of a skills training centre of excellence for the agri-business sector. The project entailed

conducting both primary and secondary research, monitoring newly released updated census data, and

identifying useful additional sources of information.

Once the grant was received, the Chamber coordinated a kick-off event to announce the project to the

community. An extended outreach effort was conducted with a number of key Leamington area

employers, to identify those organizations willing to support the project by providing a representative to

the steering committee. Based on the commitments received, the Chamber selected four employers to

sit on the committee, together with a representative from the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetables Growers

Association. The following are the employer representatives for the project: Highline Produce Limited

(Susan McBride-Friesen); Mucci Farms Ltd. (Carol Bendo); Highbury Canco Corp. (Samantha Russell); and

Pure Hothouse Foods Inc. (Mira Skaljac). Glen Snoek represented the OGVG. They are joined by two

Chamber board members, Dave Campbell (background in education) and Renee Iacobelli-Daudlin

(background in labour market training), plus the Chamber General Manager, Wendy Parsons. These

representatives were introduced to the community at a press release attended by MPP Rick Nicholls on

behalf of the Province of Ontario and Jim Stier, Grant Review Team member, on behalf of the Ontario

Trillium Foundation.

The steering committee met in January to review the mandate of the study, approve the key study

components, and agree to the timeline and milestones provided by the Chamber’s hired consultant and

labour market specialist, Denise Ghanam, President of Ghanam Consulting Inc. The study’s mandate

included the following key items: assessing and quantifying the skills gap; considering potential

education partners; reviewing possible curriculum offerings; evaluating various models for how the ACE

would be governed and managed; looking at environmental and technical research opportunities;

reviewing potential partnerships within the community with service providers and other local related

agencies; and discussing how the ACE could be funded moving forward.

In order to meet that mandate, the consultant designed a multi-pronged approach, with input from the

committee. Early in this process, it was recognized that in order to potentially support a post-secondary

education program, a broader catchment basin than simply Leamington-Kingsville was likely necessary.

As such, the Steering Committee decided to expand the study reach into the Chatham-Kent area. The

feasibility study aimed to address the following research questions:

6 Mason, Jennifer (2002). Qualitative Researching, Second Edition. London: Sage Publications.

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1) Is there a skills gap in the agri-business sector? If yes, could the gap be addressed by providing

training, skills development, and secondary and post-secondary education in a local area centre

to service those needs specifically?

2) If such a centre were to be created, what type of curriculum should it offer? Who are the

potential educational partners?

3) If this centre were created, how should it be structured and governed? Which community

partners should be involved, and in what capacity?

4) How could the training at the centre be funded in the short-term, the mid-term, and a longer-

term sustainable manner?

The agreed upon process developed to answer these questions included an employer survey tool to

better understand the skills gap, and recruitment and hiring challenges; qualitative interviews and

consultation meetings with a variety of employers, potential stakeholders, educators, and community

partners; focus groups to discuss the survey findings and gain insights and support from employers and

the community; secondary research into other sector training initiatives and the potential models of

governance utilized in those circumstances; and an updated demographics analysis, based on the 2016

data that is now becoming available through Statistics Canada. For a summary of the project

components, key milestones, and timing, please see Appendix A. As well, a chart showing the cross-

section of organizations who were consulted as part of the project is provided in Appendix B.

Updated Demographic Data

Perhaps the most critical issue for the Leamington Census Agglomeration (CA), which includes the Town

of Kingsville and the Leamington Municipality, is the impact of a declining population base, combined

with a unique demographic makeup in terms of age, educational attainment, and diversity. These

challenges were well articulated in the previous Leamington LMP Final Report and Demographic

Snapshot documents (see Appendix D). At the time of the writing of this report, not all of the 2016

Census data had been released. Some updated information will be reviewed here, with a more detailed

updated document attached as Appendix C for those with an interest in understanding the details more

fully. As well, where appropriate, 2016 information for the Chatham-Kent area has been added as well.

Most of the issues identified for the Leamington CA apply similarly to the Chatham-Kent communities.

As the 2016 Census data7 in Figure 1 reveals, the population continues to decline, with the combined

Leamington-Kingsville communities showing a decrease of 1.26% in total population. The population in

Municipality of Leamington alone declined even further, experiencing a loss of 2.8% from 2011 levels to

the current numbers in 2016. Leamington’s population has essentially remained unchanged for the past

decade, despite continued economic expansion. Similarly in 2016, the enumerated population of

Chatham-Kent CA was 102,042, which represents an overall decrease of 2.0% from 2011. While these

two communities experienced percentage declines in the 2016 population counts, the provincial

average population experienced growth of 4.6%, while the national average population expanded by

5.0%.

7 Statistics Canada Census 2016. https://www.statcan.gc.ca/eng/subjects/population_and_demography?HPA=1

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Figure 1 – Population change for Leamington CA from 2001 until 2016

Based on Census data from 2006 to 20168 in both the Leamington CA and the Chatham-Kent CA, the

population between ages 0 and 14 (children and youth) declined by 10.1% and 16.1% respectively over

the past decade. During the same period, the population of seniors (65 plus years) had a combined

growth rate of more than 20% for Leamington CA and more than 23% combined for Chatham-Kent. The

percent change of working age population (15 - 64) was also negative, demonstrating a decline to this

important group in both locations. Given that the population levels remained essentially flat between

2011 and 2016, and citizens have aged a further five years, the decrease in the number of children and

working age people in both communities is a critical issue. Two significant factors are contributing to this

trend, both of which were supported by the focus group data in the previous LLMP study. Primarily,

these rural areas are experiencing an out-migration of young people, who are leaving the area for higher

education and jobs in larger centres. Secondly, both communities continue to experience a decline in

local birth rates. These two factors substantiate the assessment that the region lacks a burgeoning youth

and working age population. Specifics are shown for the Chatham-Kent MU in Figure 2 below.

8 Statistics Canada Census 2016. https://www.statcan.gc.ca/eng/subjects/population_and_demography?HPA=1

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Chatham-Kent (MU) - Age Distribution (2006-2016)

Age groups Years Population Population change (%)

0 to 14 years 2006 19,690

2011 17,605 -10.6

2016 16,640 -5.5

15 to 64 years 2006 71,270

2011 67,475 -5.3

2016 63,590 -5.8

65 years + 2006 17,220

2011 18,595 8.0

2016 21,420 15.2

Figure 2 – Population change for Chatham-Kent MU from 2006 until 2016

Figure 3 – Leamington CA 2016 population breakdown by age as percentage of total

Given the above-noted factors, the pie chart demonstrates that for the Leamington CA, the current working age population (aged 15-64) is 61.9% of the total area population, well below the 2016 national average of 66.5% of the population. Similarly, Chatham-Kent CA has only 62.6% of its population in the working age range. Overall, the mean age in Chatham-Kent MU is 43.4 years, and the mean age in Leamington CA is 41.9 years. Both of these are higher than the Ontario and Canadian mean age for the population, which is 41.0 years. The lack of population growth, together with the higher than average senior population and lower than average youth numbers, leads to fewer workers in the community in the key mid-career age group. When this fact is combined with recent reductions in the approval rate of Temporary Foreign Worker Visas, the result is a tightening of the local agricultural labour market supply.

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As was noted in the previous LLMP report, the level of diversity is surprisingly high in both communities. This is likely the result of a number of Temporary Foreign Workers applying for and receiving permanent resident status. Many languages are spoken in the Leamington-Kingsville area, most prevalently Spanish and low German. This is in keeping with increased immigration levels across the whole country. In 2016, the number of Canadians who speak a language other than French or English at home has increased 14.5% since the 2011 census, and now sits at 7.6 million people. Almost 23% of Canadians have a mother tongue other than one of our two official languages (up from 21.3% in 2011). This percentage is higher in the Leamington-Kingsville area, and even more so in the Municipality of Leamington, where more than one third of the population has a mother tongue other than English or French. In Chatham-Kent, the largest country for emigration to the area is Mexico (at 35% of 2015 total newcomers). For further detailed analysis of the impacts of the population makeup, the demographics of both communities and the educational attainment levels for the area, please see Appendix C, Updated Labour Market Demographics: 2016 Census and Appendix D, Demographic Snapshot for Leamington, based on the 2011 census and other available data up to 2015.

Analysis of Employer Survey Responses

Employer respondents to the survey consisted of a reasonably representative cross-section of firms

involved in growing produce in the field, farm, or greenhouse environments; picking and packaging of

produce; or processing of food products (i.e. - canning, freezing, or juicing). As can be seen in the pie

chart below at Figure 4, the largest segment of the 33 respondents is mid-sized firms (51-250

employees), representing 37.5% of the total. Next was small operations (less than 50 employees) at

34.4%. Finally, large firms (251-500 employees) were represented by 12.5%, and very large firms (over

500 employees) were 15.6% of the respondents. This is a comparable distribution to the actual number

of firms operating within the areas of Leamington-Kingsville, Blenheim, and Chatham-Kent. The number

is slightly skewed towards the very large firms by the presence of several volunteers from those

organizations on the steering committee. As well, larger firms are more likely to have dedicated human

resources staff with the time and interest to participate in this type of employer survey.

As well, the geographic breakdown of the respondents had 12.5% from Chatham-Kent, 28.1% from

Blenheim, and 28.1% from the Leamington-Kingsville area. The largest segment (31.3%) did not answer

the location question sufficiently to be able to categorize where their operations were housed. Overall,

the respondents provide a sufficient sectoral view to ensure that most issues for the majority of

employers, from the smallest to the largest, will be indicated through the responses provided, and form

a solid understanding of the challenges facing the labour market in this specific sector and geography

within Ontario. While the sample size is relatively small for sub-section analysis purposes, it still reflects

approximately 6.2% response rate based on the number of firms in this sector which are not strictly

family farms, but hire employees in the local area9.

9WFWE Area Agricultural Profiles for Leamington and Kingsville, 2015.

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Figure 4 – Distribution of employer survey respondents by organizational size

This project researched a number of existing studies on the agri-business sector including:

A report from the Ontario Chamber of Commerce10 which addressed a number of competitive

issues for the sector, such as broader labour issues and the skills gap;

A recent report by Workforce WindsorEssex (WFWE)11 which discussed the need for better

labour market information for students considering careers in the sector, and enhanced training

support;

The pre-cursor LLMP report to this project undertaken by the Leamington District Chamber of

Commerce12 which identified the agri-business sector as one of five that are key to the local

economy, and highlighted a number of gaps within the skills of the workforce in the sector; and

WFWE Occupation Guide for Food Processing13 which highlighted a number of in-demand

positions in that sector.

All discussion regarding the skills gap has been aligned to coordinate with the terminology and the

occupations in the WFWE Local Employment Planning Council document14 assessing a variety of in-

demand positions in the local labour market and the specific skills required to succeed in those

occupations.

10

Fertile Ground: Growing the Competiveness of Ontario’s Agri-Food Sector, 2015, Ontario Chamber of Commerce 11 The Growing Sector of Agri-Business in Essex County, 2013, Employment Ontario and Workforce WindsorEssex 12 Leamington Labour Market Partnership Project: Final Report to the Community, 2016, Employment Ontario and the Leamington District Chamber of Commerce Report prepared by Ghanam Consulting Incorporated 13 WFWE Occupational Guide for Food Processing, 2015, Employment Ontario and Workforce WindsorEssex 14 WFWE Skills Matrix, 2017, Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development and Workforce WindsorEssex

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Building upon the above-noted background research conducted by the Chamber’s labour market

specialist and vetted by the steering committee, the most prevalent and critical jobs within the sector

were identified. These 14 position types form the basis of the employer survey. For each position, the

following questions were asked:

Are you currently hiring for this job role?

How many vacant positions do you currently have?

How many positions did you fill in last year?

Are you forecasting hiring for this job role in the coming year?

How many positions do you anticipate filling in the coming year?

Rate the level of difficulty in FINDING enough qualified applicants (on a Likert scale of 1-5)

Rate the level of difficulty in HIRING qualified applicants (on a Likert scale of 1-5)

The results of the survey for the current openings are shown below in Figure 5, as a percentage of the

respondents who indicated they were presently hiring for that job position. As expected, the most

predominant position currently in demand is the entry level role of harvester or picker/packer, found in

many field crop farms, mushroom farms, greenhouse operations, and some food processors, with 63.6%

of employers currently looking to fill positions at the time the survey was being completed (June

through August 2017). The survey did not ask respondents to specify whether the hires were for

permanent or temporary positions. Many organizations use seasonal workers to fill full-time but shorter

term needs.

The second-highest in-demand position was for maintenance technicians at 48.3%, followed by crop

scout and/or growers at 43.3% and quality technicians at 38.7%. These findings were supported through

confirmation by other employers through the qualitative interviews. Next, the survey asked respondents

to rate the level of difficulty in both recruiting candidates (locating a pool of qualified applicants) and in

hiring those candidates (getting a qualified applicant to accept the job offer). Surprisingly, there were no

statistically significant differences between recruitment and selection scores for the positions.

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Figure 5 – Percentage of responding employers with current openings for each job category

As is indicated in Figure 6 below, none of the fourteen key roles identified for the survey were rated as

easy to recruit or select on the five-point Likert scale, with a mean score of 3.73 for recruitment and

3.78 for selection. No position was rated below 3.0 as a mean score. The positions reported as most

challenging were harvester/packer (4.24), grower/crop scout (4.23), robotics/automation technician

(4.17), maintenance technician (4.05), and quality technician (3.96). The challenges for recruiting and

selecting for the harvester/packer position relate more commonly to a lack of foundational and soft

skills, with work ethic and attitude as it affects organizational fit. Qualitative data indicated that the

difficulty with finding and hiring qualified candidates for maintenance and robotics was due mostly to a

lack of technical job skills and related post-secondary qualifications, as well as competition from the

manufacturing sector. Difficulty with finding those for the grower role related to a lack of relevant

technical education and work experience. Quality technicians also faced competitive challenges from

the manufacturing sector, in terms of difficulty in recruitment and success in hiring.

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Harvestor/Packer

Quality Tech

Food Safety

Grower/Crop Scout

Ship/Receiving

Warehouse/ops Mgr

Acct/Sales Mgr

Graphic Designer

IT Support

Logistics Coord

Maintenance Tech

Automation/Robotics

Electrician

Millwright

Respondents - % Openings Currently

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Figure 6 – Mean Scores per job on difficulty in recruiting, based on a Likert scale from 1-5

The average number of current openings, filled positions from the past year, and anticipated hires for

the coming year for the role of Harvester/Packer are detailed in Figure 7 below. Using the midpoint for

each employee range (i.e. – using 25 for the firm size of less than 50), a percentage level of

organizational turnover is calculated for each sized group of firms. The impact of this turnover issue is

critical, especially when considering the significant amount of entry level turnover. This, coupled with

the difficulty in recruitment and selection already noted, creates a significant barrier to growth for

employers. The importance of this challenge to the sector comes from the sheer volume of positions

(even in mid-sized and small organizations). The scope of the turnover issue is felt across all sized

organizations, with the negative effects of lack of retention felt on efficiency, increased costs for

recruitment, selection, and orientation, plus the cost of employee on-the-job training. Further,

qualitative data indicates that many firms use internal promotion policies. If good quality candidates

cannot be retained at the entry level, there is little opportunity for the firm to identify and develop their

human resource potential for other critical roles within that organization.

Figure 7 – Chart for mean actual openings for harvester/packer separated by firm size

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5

Harvestor/PackerQuality TechFood Safety

Grower/Crop ScoutShip/Receiving

Warehouse/ops MgrAcct/Sales Mgr

Graphic DesignerIT Support

Logistics CoordMaintenance Tech

Automation/RoboticsElectricianMillwright

Hard to Recruit

Firm Size Average Current Openings Harvester or Packer

Filled Last Year

Approximate Staff Turnover to Present

Projected for Coming Year

Projected Staff Turnover (based on midpoint in size range)

Small (Less than 50) 1.78 6.56 33.4% 2.44 9.8%

Midsize (51-250) 8.73 26.09 24.9% 35.45 25.3%

Large (251-500) & Very Large (501+)

42.86 91.57 26.9% 89.71 17.9%

16

Figure 8 below outlines similar challenges for the important role of maintenance technician. While

some organizations hire specifically for a particular skilled trade like electrician or welder, many will seek

a more general position. The maintenance technician within a greenhouse setting, for example, will

need some mechanical skills, welding ability for repairs, some knowledge of plumbing to deal with

irrigation systems, some background in electronics for any control systems, and basic electrical skills as

well. It is little wonder, given the broad cross-section of demands within the job, together with steep

competition for skilled tradespeople from the manufacturing sector in Windsor, that this role is difficult

to recruit and hire within agri-business. The need for more industry specific training is readily evident in

this complex positon.

While recruiting for the role of robotics technician was ranked as more difficult than the maintenance

role, a very limited number of organizations are actually recruiting currently for robotics technicians.

This position tends to be found mainly in large and very large employers, who have the size and scope of

operations to automate certain processes. One small local grower indicated that they do hire robotic

technicians for their offshore operations, which are significantly larger, where they utilize the robots to

spray the plants. At the time of the survey, only 1 out of the 30 respondents to this question was

currently recruiting for a robotics role.

Figure 8 – Chart for mean actual openings for maintenance technician separated by firm size

Figure 9 below outlines the openings and turnover for the role of grower or crop scout or bio-technician.

Again, very specific knowledge and skills are required in this type of position, many of which need to be

learned with the particulars for a given greenhouse or farm operation. An internship or apprenticeship

educational format would be most valuable for this type of position, given the need for some hands-on

learning to understand customized equipment. While the numbers of openings and turnover are not as

large as other job categories, the importance in terms of operational capacity is very impactful.

Figure 9– Chart for mean actual openings for grower/crop scout separated by firm size

Firm Size Average Current Openings Maintenance Technician

Filled Last Year

Approximate Staff Turnover to Present

Projected for Coming Year

Projected Staff Turnover (based on midpoint in size range)

Small (Less than 50) .40 .50 3.6% 0.8 3.2%

Midsize (51-250) .91 .89 1.3% 1.1 0.8%

Large (251-500) & Very Large (501+)

1.33 2.0 0.1% 2.2 0.4%

Firm Size Average Current Openings Growers or Crop Scouts

Filled Last Year

Approximate Staff Turnover

Projected for Coming Year

Approximate Staff Turnover (based on midpoint in size range)

Small (Less than 50) .40 .63 4.1% .50 2.0%

Midsize (51-250) .55 1.7 1.7% 1.9 1.4%

Large (251-500) & Very Large (501+)

1.1 1.8 0.6% 1.6 0.3%

17

Figure 10 below provides the same information for the role of quality technician. Many organizations do

promote from within for this important role, using it as a developmental opportunity for their staff.

However, often times, there is a need for specific skills, and understanding of quality systems and

processes, especially when considering the importance of quality control to hygiene and food safety. At

the time of the survey, there were 20 current openings reported across 32 respondents to this question,

indicating a consistent level of demand in small, medium, and large-sized firms.

Figure 10 – Chart for mean actual openings for quality technician separated by firm size

Finally, Figure 11 below demonstrates that the organizations in this sector are investing in the training

and development of their employees. Levels of investment vary depending on firm size, with less than

10% of firms indicating a complete lack of training budget. The mode for the survey respondents was

$25,000, with more than one third of organizations planning to spend more than $50,000 in the coming

year. Overall, agri-business firms are clearly showing that they grasp the importance of investing in the

upskilling of their existing workforce. Qualitative data supported this concept, with many employers

discussing the need for better onboarding and orientation training, ongoing health & safety knowledge

that is required by all employees, and improving the leadership capacity of frontline supervisors and

mid-level and senior management staff. Certainly, the creation of a skills training and education facility

like the proposed ACE would be a welcomed addition to finding and supporting employee development

opportunities in the local area.

Firm Size Average Current Openings Quality Technician

Filled Last Year

Approximate Staff Turnover to Present

Projected for Coming Year

Projected Staff Turnover (based on midpoint in size range)

Small (Less than 50) .20 .20 1.6% .50 2.0%

Midsize (51-250) .42 .50 6.6% 2.0 1.4%

Large (251-500) & Very Large (501+)

1.3 1.5 0.6% 2.5 0.5%

18

Figure 11 – Current and future investment in training and development

Qualitative Data Analysis

The research consultant conducted a large number of interviews over the course of this project,

conferring with approximately 50 different people representing employers, potential educational

partners, employment service providers, community groups, and other stakeholders with an interest in

the success of the agri-business sector. This work was done in order to gather relevant data to support

this feasibility assessment. Please see Appendix B, referenced earlier, for a list of organizations and

contacted personnel. Additionally, two focus groups were conducted at the end of the study in order to

share the findings of the employer survey and validate those issues, as well as to generate further input

on training needs for curriculum in the potential ACE centre.

The focus group process was straightforward. Attendees were provided with some background

information and the identified labour market needs from the LLMP study; the basic skill deficiencies

identified from prior research were reviewed; the results from the employer survey were shared and

validated; and the 2016 demographic update was highlighted. Most of the time spent in each session

was centred on inviting input from the participants on various topics of interest such as whether they

felt the ACE Centre was needed; ideas for structure or potential models; types of possible community

involvement; and suggestions for courses and training curriculum. Overall, the interviews and the focus

groups demonstrated a broad level of support for the concept of the ACE, as shown by employers,

educators, service agencies, and potential partner community groups.

Confirming the Skill Deficiencies

The qualitative data gathering process enabled the researcher to validate the survey findings around the

fourteen identified important roles within the agri-business sector. As well, it allowed the study team to

understand the level and challenge of the recruitment and hiring processes and to identify the need for

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

None Less than $10K $10K - $25K $26K - $49K $50K or More

Respondents T&D Investment

Current Investment Planned Investment

19

the development of foundational and workplace soft skills for many occupations. Further, the need for

technical education and specific diplomas that support the advancing technology of the sector were

identified. “There is a clear gap between what a college grad has learned and what is actually needed on

the job“, said one respondent from an organization that provides technical service to the greenhouse

equipment.

Additionally, recent work by WFWE15 created a list of the top 75 in-demand jobs for Essex County. Their list confirms our fourteen key jobs identified for the employer survey. They specifically identified the following role titles which correspond to this sector’s critical positions. The WFWE list was developed using a variety of research methods including online job postings, employer surveys and consultations, news stories and stakeholder feedback from the Workforce Summit event held in May 2017. The roles from the agri-business sector included in the WFWE list are: 0822 – Managers in horticulture (Operations Managers) 1123 – Professional Occupations in Advertising, Marketing, and Public Relations (Sales) 1215 – Supervisors, Supply Chain, Tracking and Scheduling Co-ordination Occupation 1521 – Shippers and Receivers 2121 – Biologists and Related Scientists (Growers/Crop scouts) 2171 – Information systems analysts and consultants 2232 – Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians (Maintenance, Automation) 2282 – User Support Technicians (IT support) 6222 – Retail and Wholesale Buyers 3113 – Construction Millwrights and Industrial Mechanics 8252 – Agricultural Quality control 8431 – General Farm Workers (Harvester/Packer) 8432 – Nursery and Greenhouse Workers (Harvester/Packer) In support of the identification of this skills gap for the agri-business sector, this project has continued to work closely with other labour market experts in the area. Michelle Suchiu, Executive Director, Workforce WindsorEssex had the following to say on the issue of the broader skills gap.

Workforce WindsorEssex continues to tackle the issue of people without jobs and jobs without people. The release of this information comes on the heels of a successful Workforce Summit event in May, our Skills Matrix in June and our Transportation and Mapping project in July. If you’re about to choose or change your careers – and want to work and raise your family in Windsor-Essex – this list will be very helpful.16 WFWE is aiming to centralize key information about each in-demand job (including job description,

remuneration, job duties, required skills, and training and career pathways). All of the information

collected under this project will be published in WE Search, a free, easy-to use online tool. This type of

regional collaboration is one of the hallmarks for the future success for the ACE project, where all

interested parties want to ensure and support the continued growth of the agri-business sector.

15 WFWE In-Demand Jobs Report, 2017. http://workforcewindsoressex.com/labour-market-information/in-demand-jobs/ 16

WFWE In Demand Jobs Report Press Release, September 2017

http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001vrOsIu2P8AVfMcnEX_ArmdA_Gbw8nAmFLvobQY2elhbmXHoeaV4FMOv5JXclMLItdSLrFN-Abr14DuE7xjThRw9uBo1OoT44nBM8oDZaLqPLpXOhQRwozYUeinWURuNDMzbEWU1h-WoYngGH20CEU3LkEgGA7vvqzU-WIaVR2vM=&c=I_EbU9n4sZ9gbEqRAS-Euq1KiNJwRvr12sZbU7n6tGZehBWoWoqHJA==&ch=pn3p6js2q27FUJVurkdkyt5amWZt0OWtS4RjddiWMricultcsZe6bw==

20

Specific focus was provided by respondents in the qualitative data gathering process to three skill gap

areas. These are foundational and workplace soft skills needed for entry level positions (such as basic

literacy, numeracy, teamwork, communication, and work ethic); supervisory skills for frontline staff, as

well as more advanced leadership skills for middle and upper managers; and technical skills related to

innovation, automation in processing and packaging, maintenance, and greenhouse operations for

efficient energy use, climate control, irrigation, water treatment, and plant fertilization. Many of those

technical skills also apply to growers in mushroom farms, vineyards, orchards, and field crops.

Skills and Competencies

The Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC) has identified a number of critical issues in

agriculture across Canada. This organization is attempting to further refine the skills gap by identifying

the core competencies of key positions, and showing where there may be transferable skills within the

agri-business sector, or from other sectors into roles within this sector. The Canadian Agriculture and

Agri-Food Workforce Action Plan17 is a roadmap forward to address the sector’s critical labour shortages.

It is essential to maintain a strong agriculture and agri-food value

chain and this has been identified by industry as the number one

business risk management issue across all commodities and the

value chain. The agriculture and agri-food industry needs workers to

remain globally competitive, to take advantage of export

opportunities provided by the Federal Government’s free trade

agenda, and to ensure the security, safety and sustainability of food

for all Canadians.18

Portia MacDonald-Dewhirst, the Executive Director of CAHRC, has expressed an interest in potentially

working with the ACE to identify and articulate core competencies for the greenhouse industry within

the broader agri-business sector. In addition, CAHRC has developed a useful search tool called Agri-

Talent, which is a national database of relevant learning opportunities (post-secondary courses and

diplomas, conferences, and short term training programs in agriculture).19 Future curriculum offerings of

the ACE could be housed in such a database, to make the programming available to a wider audience.

Skills and the Emerging Sectors within Agri-business

There are two sub-sectors within the local agri-business industry that have been receiving increased

levels of interest. Both sub-sectors have experienced recent growth, and are positioned to take

advantage of changes happening in the market place. The first emerging sub-sector is the area of

packaging innovation. This applies to packaging for fresh produce to extend its shelf life, thereby

enabling local producers to ship to markets located further afield. The OGVG already indicates that 70%

of locally grown greenhouse produce is shipped to the United States.20 The second type of packaging is

market-oriented packaging, where local food processors are developing unique ways to present

consumers with fresh food options in a convenient, consumer friendly manner. This approach is again

generating new markets for existing products and expanding the global reach of the local area firms.

17 Addressing Labour Shortages in the Agriculture & Agri-Food Industry through a National Workforce Action Plan, 2013. Canadian Agriculture Human Resource Council Report. http://www.cahrc-ccrha.ca/homepage 18 Ibid, p.8 19 Canadian Agriculture Human Resource Council Agri-Talent Website www.agritalent.ca 20

OGVG 2016 Factsheet http://ogvg.com/about

21

The second sub-sector that is emerging in Leamington-Kingsville, and to a lesser extent in Chatham-

Kent, is nutraceuticals. This is the growing of fresh product for use in medicinal applications, such as

organically grown vegetables to create premium vitamin and mineral supplements. It also includes the

burgeoning area of the growth of medicinal marijuana. One of the first certified greenhouse operations

for medical cannabis is located in Leamington. There are currently several other cannabis operations

considering this area for their expansions. This demand for field and/or greenhouse growers for

marijuana will likely increase further with the anticipated passage of legislation in July of 2018 by the

federal government to allow for its recreational possession and use. Early discussions with growers

indicate comparable needs for the key positions identified in our study, and representatives from this

sub-sector concur with our assessment of where the skills gap exists. There may also be an increased

need for customer service skills, as many producers of medicinal cannabis also need to provide a call

centre to process and document prescription requests.

In particular, the importance of people with a strong background in quality systems is a gap identified by

a local consultant working with the cannabis sector. Growers in this sector need to be concerned not

only with the usual quality control issues related to food safety, but also with the more stringent

demands of a pharmaceutical product. Most growers for cannabis are self-taught, as professional

programs are only beginning to emerge for this specific product.

There will be a rise in the skill level inside of these operations for skills

directly tied to the drying and extraction processes, as this is linked directly

to the cost model for these organizations. Better quality and stable drying

techniques and environments, and the continued work being done in

extraction regarding CBD levels and properties of cannabis are a big deal.

Greenhouse growing staff, leadership, and certainly logistics are all as

significant in this industry as they are in the greenhouse industry at

large. Again, given the more stringent standards they are working to in

Cannabis versus regular food production, this may alter the need for

higher skills and most certainly for internal growth potential, unlike the

fresh vegetable environment. Within the Cannabis sector, the expectation

is that entry level folks will grow with the organization.21

Potential New Labour Sources

Clearly, should the concept of the ACE training and education facility become a reality for the local

community, graduates from these programs will provide a critical supply of potential new labour for the

economically important agri-business sector. However, in the interim, qualitative study participants

suggested a number of alternatives to expand the tightening supply of suitable local labour. One source

identified as a possible opportunity is new immigrants to Canada, in particular the recent influx of Syrian

refugees. Many come from nations with a strong agricultural economy and they bring a good work ethic

to their newly adopted country. However, as was noted in the LLMP final report, more new Canadians

and refugees are located in the larger urban centre in Windsor. This re-energizes the need for further

discussion and some focused political will around the issue of a system for regional transit in Windsor

and Essex County. This issue would receive support from a number of employers in the Leamington-

Kingsville area, some of whom have made their own efforts by providing contracted bus service from

21

Stepstone Consulting, Interview September 11, 2017

22

various communities to their facilities. The transportation issue was not specifically mentioned in the

interviews with Chatham-Kent respondents, but it was indicated as a challenge by their economic

development officer.

Obviously, the local community of Leamington will continue its work with the Mexican consulate as a

strong local partner. Both Seasonal Agricultural Worker (SAW) and Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW)

programs are currently being well utilized by a number of local employers. The senior HR representative

from Highline Mushrooms has been involved with the federal government on a task force to discuss

changes to the program that would allow interested persons a clearer pathway to attaining permanent

resident status. This change would definitely benefit the agri-business sector, allowing good workers at

entry level to be trained and promoted within organizations more readily, if employers know that longer

term retention of that person is an option.

Discussions in both focus groups and in several individual interviews suggested an opportunity to

expand the labour supply could evolve from working more closely with Essex Community Living

Association. This organization provides support and assistance to people with intellectual disabilities.

Supported workers from Community Living could be a potential new labour source for entry level

harvester/packer roles, where jobs may have some degree of repetitiveness and stability. Additionally

there are other community organizations who work with persons with disabilities that could provide an

opportunity for expansion of the labour pool. Financial assistance would be required to work with

potential job candidates to pre-train them prior to hiring, to ensure retention and acclimate the

employee to the farm or processing or greenhouse environment. As well, there would be a need for

support for supervisors to ensure workplace success for employees with intellectual and physical

disabilities. However, Community Living, or other service providers, are often able to provide employers

with some financial and support assistance. This support could be used to create a positive experience

for both the new employee and the employer. Supported workers may also be provided with

transportation, as part of the service from Community Living, thus eliminating this common barrier

often experienced by others in the entry level labour supply pool.

The local area high schools also represent a potential expanded supply of labour for the agri-business

sector, if an interest in agri-business careers for students can be created prior to the point where they

make college and university selections. An example of a program that has been conducted recently in

this regard was the Farm to Table Experiential Learning Pilot which took place in the spring of this year

at Cardinal Carter High School. The strong support of the principal of Cardinal Carter Secondary School

in Leamington, Dwayne Brunet, Co-op teacher, Ted Wigfield, and Windsor-Essex Catholic District School

Board Coordinator of Experiential Learning, Susan Friedl, created an opportunity to explore career

options with Grade 11 hospitality students and a Grade 10 Career Studies class. The program provided

students with the opportunity to tour a number of local businesses involved in “farm to table”, including

a greenhouse, a food processer, a winery, and a restaurant that specialized in locally sourced food. As

well, they were exposed to the GEN AG program sponsored by Agriculture in the Classroom Ontario, had

a presentation on labour market information and career options from WFWE, and heard from a number

of industry speakers about their own career paths within the agri-business sector. A large group of grade

7 & 8 students from Cardinal Carter Middle School were also invited to attend the panel with the

industry mentors, to widen the exposure related to agri-business careers to the younger level audience.

The students in the actual program then worked in small groups as “marketing companies” to decide

how best to promote the wide variety of careers within this sector to their peers in secondary school.

23

One student participant commented that “there are a multitude of jobs that I did not know about

already” and that it “may change the way I see myself in the future.”22

Additionally, Kyle Berard, the principal of Leamington District Secondary School, has developed a unique

program, in conjunction with a local employer, to address a local workforce development issue. Many

youth in the local community whose families have a long history of working in agriculture, are

encouraged to begin working at age 14 or 15. This culture of economic support of their family beginning

in the early teen years is most predominant within the Mennonite and low German ethnic communities

in this geographic area. Nature Fresh owner, Peter Quiring, provides incentives to his employees who

have not yet completed their secondary certificate. These employees work their regular shift and then

attend special evening classes at the high school four nights per week in order to gain credits toward

their General Education Diploma (GED) in the WELL program (Work Experience Learning for Life). This

program provides the support and flexibility which allows young students to study around a regular full

time work schedule, taking classes at their own pace. Co-op credits are extended for their work

experience with Nature Fresh. Additional incentives are offered by the employer for those who

complete the program and choose to continue their studies in a related diploma program at college or

university. This strategy has improved the skills of his existing workforce, as well as created a strong

sense of employee engagement, which contributes to strong organizational retention. The principal is

extremely proud of the accomplishments of these students, who would likely not have ever completed

their secondary diploma, without this type of employer support and school accommodation. His vision

for the program’s continued success could easily be adapted to fit within the parameters of the ACE, and

could provide a wonderful model for skills development of the existing agri-business workforce across a

number of different employer operations. Principal Berard states that “we value experiential learning

and want to support working students and families who are pursuing a secondary school diploma. The

WELL program allows students to have the best of both worlds.”23

Apprenticeship Programs and Experiential Learning

A surge of interest in experiential learning is taking place across Canada’s education and employment

spectrum. Primary and secondary schools, post-secondary institutions, business groups, governments

and community organizations alike are increasingly recognizing a need for students at multiple levels to

have access to hands-on learning. These opportunities are intended to allow students to meaningfully

explore their interests, develop critical soft skills, and confidence, and prepare for successful careers and

life beyond the classroom.24

The focus on experiential learning, defined as learning through reflection on doing, comes at a time of

tremendous flux in the job market and seeks to develop agile graduates. It is being championed as a

means to motivate young people through active engagement in curriculum and through exposure to

real-world settings, whether by integrating experiential learning into courses in smaller ways or offering

co-op placements, volunteer programs, or apprenticeship opportunities.

Foundational and workplace soft skills – communication, teamwork, collaboration, adaptability, conflict

resolution, problem solving and critical thinking – are essential for young people entering today’s

22

Cardinal Carter CCELP – Career Planning Self-Reflection, June 2017 23 Interview Kyle Berard, September 29, 2017 24 Career Development in the Canadian Workplace: National Business Survey, 2015. http://ceric.ca/career-development-in-the-canadian-workplace-national-business-survey/

24

employment market and are predicted to be in higher demand across rapidly evolving industries than

narrow technical skills.25 One of the most effective ways to acquire these skills is through experiential

learning, according to the focus group participants. In addition, experiential learning provides the

application of technical skills in the specific work environment, a component which is currently absent in

some of the horticultural and agricultural training programs, which do not yet fully reflect the updated

technology of some of the area’s innovative greenhouse environments.

Numerous employer and educational interviewees, as well as attendees at the focus groups, strongly

recommend developing an apprenticeship program specifically for greenhouse growers. Focus would

include plant physiology, climate and environmental controls, irrigation, water treatment, and

production efficiency. By creating an apprentice-able trade, the position of grower would receive the

credibility required to help attract talented people into the greenhouses which form an integral part of

the broader agri-business sector. While the current trade “Horticulture Technician – 441C” has many of

the required skills for growers such as plant science, botany, and plant propagation techniques, it is

currently too broad in its approach. It includes training in turf management, landscaping, site grading

and drainage which are not applicable in a farm growing environment or for greenhouse growers or

crop scouts. If such a program cannot be supported by the Ministry of Education and Skills

Development for a full apprenticeship, it must at a minimum, be developed in a co-operative education

format, so that a work placement is required in order to graduate with the credential.

Currently, some local Windsor-Essex secondary schools have created an ‘academy’ focus within their

regular secondary program, to support a particular sector. Recently, St Joseph’s in Windsor developed a

construction academy, with programming offered through skilled trades qualified teachers in areas such

as carpentry or dry walling. This gives students recognized hours of instruction towards the

apprenticeships in some of these trades, or specific marketable job skills in construction for areas that

do not use the apprentice model. Again, the idea of a secondary school ‘academy’ for greenhouse

growing has been suggested by both Cardinal Carter and Leamington Secondary. A facility such as ACE,

if it had its own greenhouse to teach the growing techniques, could be an ideal location to train

secondary students in such an approach, working towards an apprenticeship as a greenhouse growing

technician (or the existing horticultural technician). According to a recent WFWE publication26, growers

can anticipate earning between $45,000 and $70,000 per year, with an opportunity to advance their

career into Operations management.

Further, maintenance technicians with some specialization in Agri-business are needed (especially for

greenhouses where they need to be cross trained for plumbing, mechanical, and automation work).

Currently, the existing Ontario college programs for mechanical technician or industrial mechanic do not

address some of the unique requirements relating to irrigation, water treatment, and climate controls.

For robotics technicians for greenhouses and for food processing, an experiential component to their

education program (with exposure offered specifically in the agri-business sector) would be highly

beneficial in attracting recent graduates into the sector. Agricultural equipment technicians can typically

earn anywhere from $40,000 to $80,000 per year, depending on their experience level.27

25 Career Development in the Canadian Workplace: National Business Survey, 2015. http://ceric.ca/career-development-in-the-canadian-workplace-national-business-survey/ 26 WFWE, Employment Ontario, Windsor-Essex Chamber of Commerce Publication. Growing Agricultural Careers Profiles, 2016. 27

Ibid

25

Assessment of Available Educational Programs

While there are a number of available programs across Ontario that provide some relevant background

for work in the agri-business sector, gaps still exist at both the secondary and post-secondary levels.

Through the work undertaken by this project, discussions have been held with a number of institutions

that have demonstrated a strong interest level and willingness to adapt existing programs to meet the

specific needs of this sector. Some of those interested potential partners, and the program areas of

interest, are outlined below.

University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus – Ridgetown is set to offer a post-diploma certificate in

Greenhouse Production Management. This program has been designed and approved as a fast-track 16

month credential that students would complete after a related bachelor degree or college diploma in

plant biology or horticulture or agriculture. It has been created to combine two full classroom

semesters with two paid work placements. Course content has been developed with industry input,

building on two previous efforts in the late nineties and early the next decade by Ridgetown to create

programming to support the greenhouse sector. However, while the program appears to be an ideal

answer to the challenges currently facing greenhouses in locating growers with the necessary

knowledge and expertise, Ridgetown has not yet been able to run the program due to a lack of

participant uptake. Ideally, this program would make a perfect pilot for the new ACE, if solid employer

involvement could be generated to create the work placements needed to expose students to the

nuances of growing vegetables in the greenhouse environment. There is strong interest and willingness

on the part of the staff at Ridgetown to work closely with the Steering Committee to create a viable and

cost effective way to deliver the course content in the Leamington area, to enhance the student uptake.

Further, grant funding to support such a pilot could make the program more attractive to potential

students, or encourage employers to cover the costs on behalf on existing employees.

St Clair College – The president and senior staff from the college are very interested in potential

partnerships to deliver either workforce development training (short term programs on specific topics)

or to adapt some of their longer diploma courses to the needs of the sector. Discussions centred on

maintenance technicians, with perhaps some specialization in agri-equipment being added to the

existing programming. Again, the opportunity to create some form of experiential learning as a course

component was highlighted. The current horticulture program, as with many others across the province,

provides some relevant content, but is more focused on landscape architecture or golf course

maintenance.

Conestoga College opened the Institute for Food Processing Technology in Cambridge, Ontario in 2011. The Institute offers certificate, diploma and apprenticeship programs in food processing that are accompanied by co-op placements or industry experience opportunities. Currently, one local Leamington employer is working closely with Conestoga to train all of their frontline staff on basics such as food safety, simple machine trouble shooting, and productivity. The training is offered with online learning first, which the employees complete during their assigned shift time. This is then followed by an onsite session of six weeks at the Institute. From a costing perspective, the employer would benefit greatly from being able to have the ACE host the six week portion of the program in this local area, thereby reducing travel time and costs, and allowing employees to be trained while still living at home.

26

Niagara College – Presently, Niagara has the most relevant curriculum, although they are not located

physically near the most southwestern corner of Ontario. Their location, four hours away in the heart of

the Niagara wine region, has led the college to create the teaching winery model, which has a working

vineyard, grape gathering facility, distilling and bottling operations, and a retail store that offers tastings

and sells their vintages and wine-related wares. This highly successful format has positively influenced

the recommended approach for the ACE to follow. This pattern of ownership of the process from

beginning to end has helped ensure that students graduate knowing all facets of the industry.

The School of Environment and Horticulture Studies at Niagara College houses Ontario’s largest training

greenhouse, as well as leading-edge technologies and equipment located at the base of the Niagara

Escarpment. The School offers a number of different programs, including Environmental Management

and Assessment, and Greenhouse Technician, with a co-op option. Potential exists to invite professors

from Niagara to deliver some short term programming at the ACE, to leverage their existing curriculum

to advantage for the local employers.

As well, beginning in the fall of 2018, Niagara College will be the first to offer a post-secondary

credential in the production of commercial cannabis. The one-year post-graduate certificate program

aims to prepare students to work in the licensed production of cannabis, which includes marijuana,

hemp fibre and hemp seed. It will be open to those with a diploma or degree in agribusiness, agricultural

science, environmental science/resource studies, horticulture or natural sciences, or an acceptable

combination of education and experience. The college's president, Dan Patterson, says the program is

meant to address a growing labour market need in the wake of legislative changes in Canada and

abroad. A community college in New Brunswick announced last year it would offer a course in

horticulture, tailored to equip students with the skills to work in the growing marijuana industry. School

officials at the French-language College Communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick have said the course

was designed in collaboration with industry leaders. Both of these options could support the developing

sub-sector for medical marijuana and, eventually, for recreational sales of cannabis and related

products, by creating a pool of skilled potential employees.

University of Windsor – The University offers programs in Biology, Environmental Science, and Industrial

Engineering that would have some relevance for the agri-business sector, but there are currently no

undergraduate or graduate programs specifically targeted to support farming, growing, or food

processing. There is some expertise within the Science Faculty which could be used to enhance the skill

base of the agri-business sector. Chris Hauser, the Dean of Science, has developed a new program of

service to industry called “Extension Science” which will provide laboratory analytical services and

evidence-based scientific reports to local industries in support of their economic growth. These services

include wine analysis, brewing and distilling analytical testing, water quality tests, soil analysis, chemical

testing and analysis, contaminant testing, and ongoing biological monitoring. Current science students

in undergraduate and graduate studies would conduct the testing and monitoring, under supervision of

their professors. This service could support growers, farmers, and food processors with specific needs,

without the requirement for the organization to have its own lab specialist or facilities. As this report is

being written, the University is working with the Windsor-Essex Economic Development Commission to

assess how to better access the science talents of recent graduates within the agricultural sector. The

researcher for this project and WFWE have been asked to contribute to this collaboration.

Outside of Ontario, Dalhousie University has a Faculty of Agriculture, located in Truro, Nova Scotia, with

both two-year technician diploma programs and three or four year Bachelor degrees in Agriculture.

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Nearby, Ohio State University has the Agricultural Technology Institute (ATI). This unique campus

includes a horticultural complex, landscape construction laboratory, 1,700-acre working farm, 18-hole

golf course and specialized labs in renewable energy, engineering technologies, sciences and floral

design, and is ranked first in the United States for the awarding of Associate degree in Agriculture and

related sciences. Finally, as mentioned earlier, the Agri-Talent website provides details on diploma and

degree programs across Canada in the areas of agriculture, horticulture, food processing and

greenhouse growing, for students who want to pursue a career in the those areas. As well, it also

provides information on short term skill development courses and conferences for professional

development by those already working in the agri-business sector.

A report prepared by the United States Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Education and Workforce

Development branch summarizes it well.

Education and workforce systems in North America are failing to keep pace with the changing needs of the economy, and employers are struggling to find skilled workers who can contribute to their companies’ growth and success. What we need is a workforce strategy for our time that can meet the needs of today’s changing business environment… We need to engage employers and their partners across the country in developing a new demand-driven approach—talent pipeline management—to close the skills gap. Through extending lessons learned from innovations in supply chain management, this paper calls for employers to play a new and expanded leadership role as “end customers” of education and workforce partnerships. From there, employers can proactively organize and manage talent supply chain partnerships with measures and incentives tied to performance.28

Suggestions of Potential Programs for ACE Based on the input on training opportunities gathered from interviews and focus groups during the nine

months of the study, the following suggestions have been put forward for consideration. Some could be

short term programs (half or full day, or up to one week), while others would require a longer term

focus (including secondary school completion or language skills).

Frontline supervisor training and general leadership development

Diversity training for staff and also for supervisors and managers

Upskilling of the current workforce with a focus on understanding basic greenhouse technology

and/or on basic quality systems

2nd language training (both English for foreign workers and other languages such as Spanish for

current management staff)

Secondary diploma completion or attainment of a General Education Diploma (GED)

Maintenance and automation technician training

28 Managing the Talent Pipeline: A New Approach to Closing the Skills Gap, 2014, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Center for Education and Workforce Report, p.3

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Operator and food safety training

Greenhouse growing technology (preferably with an experiential or apprentice format)

Basic safety training (Ministry of Labour Awareness, WHMIS, etc) perhaps in a video format that

firms could use for the constant onboarding of new entry level staff

Upskilling of the current workforce with a focus on soft skills, such as communication and

teamwork

Upskilling of the current workforce with a focus on some preliminary knowledge on technology

and plant physiology, to generate interest for existing workers to become crop scouts or

growers (with additional schooling)

Emerging training needs for specific sub-sectors such as wineries, distilleries, beer makers,

nutraceuticals, and medical marijuana

ACE Governance

As part of the feasibility study, secondary research was conducted to identify initiatives and best

practices from other industry sectors regarding how the talent pipeline could be managed. Please see

Appendix E, Economic and Workforce Development Case Studies, for a review of the variety of

approaches being utilized. Discussions with the Steering Committee, after reviewing this document,

indicated a preference for an employer led process with strong educator collaborations. While the

ownership of the ACE is yet to be fully determined, the implementation model of the Niagara College

teaching winery holds strong appeal. The Winery is a separate corporate entity, and all the programs

run by Niagara College are managed by the Winery’s own board, at arm’s length from the College. The

Winery is meant to be a self-sufficient profit centre with its own staff. Tuition fees for programs flow to

the Winery, who pay the professors on a course by course basis. As well, sales of the wines produced

help to fund the programs. Initial capital to establish the facility was provided directly by the College

itself, with employer support on the Board, but no direct stake in the organization. Frequent

consultation with industry representatives through a program advisory committee helps to ensure that

the curriculum stays current and that new courses or programs are added (like greenhouse growing,

beekeeping, and soon, the cannabis program).

As the ACE governance structure is currently envisioned, the importance of employer buy-in cannot be

overstated. As more than one educational institution will be involved in offering programs through the

ACE, as well as independent consultants who may be contracted on a variety of technical and soft skill

projects, this approach needs to vary slightly from the Niagara model. The structure would still be a

separate stakeholder volunteer board, but with a cross-section of all types of agri-business employers.

Additionally, there should be representatives from employment service providers and community based

groups with an interest or stake in the programs. Individual programs would be owned by each

educational institution, and would be offered to students and sector employees on a cost recovery basis

through the ACE.