November 1, 2023 (Headingley, MB) – Agriculture in the Classroom Canada (AITC-C) has partnered with McCain Foods to encourage high school students to explore the endless career opportunities within agriculture in celebration of Career Month in Canada.
To kick off Career Month, an annual national event celebrating the importance of accessing meaningful work, high school students across Canada were invited to participate in Explore the Possibilities, a virtual career exploration event designed to discover the opportunities to work in the agriculture and agri-food sector.
This morning, the Explore the Possibilities event featured a panel of four McCain employees with diverse backgrounds who shared their career journeys and insights to inspire students to consider a career in agriculture. AITC-C moderated the event, highlighting the variety of careers and opportunities at McCain, a leader in Canada’s agriculture and agri-food industry and the world’s largest manufacturer of potato products.
“Agriculture is requiring ever more diverse skill sets as we see exciting new technologies coming into the industry and use data to improve efficiency on farm and throughout the entire supply chain,” said Daniel Metheringham, Vice President Agriculture & Sustainability North America Potato. “People are key to pushing forward the industry, and there is an array of exciting roles available to help transform sustainable farming and the future of food.”
“The future of agriculture is sitting in classrooms today,” says Sara Shymko, Interim Executive Director of AITC-C. “Thanks to the support of valuable partners like McCain Foods, we want to inspire the next generation of big thinkers, decision-makers, and leaders to be part of agriculture’s future.”
More than 3,300 students from 58 schools across the country participated in the virtual panel earlier today. Teachers can still share the panel with their classrooms by accessing the link at AITC-C's YouTube channel.
About Agriculture in the Classroom Canada
Agriculture in the Classroom Canada (AITC-C) is a charitable organization with a mission to cultivate a meaningful connection to agriculture and food for students and educators. With 10 partner organizations delivering agriculture education in each province, AITC-C is the umbrella organization connecting the national network to facilitate sharing and collaboration and deliver accurate, balanced, and current resources. Visit aitc-canada.ca to learn more.
About McCain Foods
McCain Foods (Canada) is the Canadian division of McCain Foods Limited, an international leader in the frozen food industry. McCain Foods is the world's largest manufacturer of frozen potato specialties, and also produces other quality products such as appetizers, vegetables and desserts that can be found in restaurants and retail stores in more than 160 countries around the world. In Canada, the company has eight production facilities with approximately 2,400 employees and, in addition to its famous French fries and potato specialties, makes frozen desserts, snacks and appetizers.
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For more information, contact:
Tracey Shelton, Communications Consultant
tshelton@aitc-canada.ca
204-995-2102