Addressing Canada’s food processing labour shortage with new post-secondary programs
Labour, Skills and Access to Talent
Consortia Contribution
$60,760
Cluster Contribution
$205,000
Assiniboine Community College
Roquette
Goal
This project focuses on developing two new three-year diploma programs at Assiniboine Community College (Brandon, Man.) to address the challenges in labour shortage and to meet the opportunities presented through investments in plant-protein processing and other food and beverage manufacturing in Manitoba and across Canada.
Project Summary
To create the curriculum for both programs, the college worked with Roquette and consulted with other organizations in Canada’s plant-based food and ingredient ecosystem.
This engagement identified the technical and employment skills needed from industry, which also helped students create connections with potential future employers. Providing students the training, skills and talent needed for careers in the food processing sector will expand the ecosystem’s capacity and create more jobs, from which companies of all sizes across the agrifood value chain can benefit.
The programs Chemical Engineering Technology Diploma and Food Science Technology Diploma will be offered to students across the prairies, Canada, and international students. These programs will be the first in Manitoba and the Food Science Technology Diploma will be the first in the prairies.
Results and Impact
- With the programs introduced and curriculums almost fully developed, Assiniboine Community College (ACC) will be delivering the Food Science Technology Diploma and Chemical Engineering Technology Diploma programs to support the Manitoban and Prairie-based food and beverage manufacturing sector.
- The diploma programs will add 36 new highly skilled accredited talent to the sector food and beverage processing sector by the spring of 2027. The first cohort is set to begin in fall of 2024.
- The consortium also developed two Program Advisory Committees to support long-term transfer of knowledge from industry to ACC as the program is further developed and delivered.