Collège Boréal has announced the launch of its online Agricultural Practices program, which will begin in January 2020.
The announcement was made Sept. 18 at the International Plowing Match, which is being held this week in Verner, in between Sudbury and North Bay.
The Agricultural Practices program is identical to the first year of the Agricultural Techniques program, which is a two-year program offered in face-to-face mode at Boréal’s Sudbury campus.
This program has been available on a full-time basis for three years and continues to attract students who are interested in agricultural and environmental trades, as well as professionals who are interested in specializing or retraining.
Offering the program online not only improves access, but also meets the growing need for flexibility among potential students who wish to harmonize their studies with their professional and personal constraints, said a press release from the college.
The practical component: a key to the success of this hybrid distance education program.
Thanks to its customized approach, which includes meetings with professors, exchanges with students and presentations, Boréal’s hybrid online model involves the same requirements as a face-to-face program.
The Agricultural Practices program provides students with experiential learning thanks to a local community sponsor in the agricultural sector. The sponsor provides students with equipment to use in training, as well as coaching in their learning experience.
Because agricultural trades are experiencing profound transformations which require professionals in the field to constantly adapt, Collège Boréal - a pioneer in agricultural training in Ontario - continues to strengthen its strategies for innovation in this regard, the press release said.
Besides the Agricultural Techniques program, Boréal offers three customized training programs on cannabis-related trades, including courses on plant cultivation and production equipment management, and instigates many applied research projects.
Applications for the online Agricultural Practices program will be accepted online starting Sept. 23.
“Accessibility is a key issue and one of our foremost concerns at Collège Boréal,” said Lyne Michaud, vice-president of education with Collège Boréal
“The quality of our practical trades training has cemented our reputation. Now, Boréal’s online Agricultural Practices program harmonizes practical learning with a distance education delivery model that is becoming more and more widely used. Our programs are increasingly accessible thanks to this winning formula.”
“I see it every day in our communities and I see it here today at the International Plowing Match: the agriculture sector needs more and more trained professionals who can deal with the increasingly technical aspects of crop and livestock farming,” said Daniel Leduc, dean of the School of Trades and Applied Technology and of the School of Environment and Natural Resources, Collège Boréal.
“However, it’s not always easy for active professionals to allow themselves time away from their careers to return to school. Our online Agricultural Practices program is perfect for these people who want to specialize or retrain.”
