Agriculture

Already hold a diploma or degree and want to work in modern crop and livestock production? Assiniboine’s Agriculture advanced diploma is a one-year, 75-credit programme offered as an international cohort at the Victoria Avenue East campus in Brandon, open to graduates of a two-year diploma or a university degree.

The Agriculture advanced diploma packs the core of prairie agronomy into one year. Soil & Soil Fertility, Crop Production Systems, Crop Pest Management, Integrated Crop Management and Pesticides in Agriculture teach you to grow and protect crops, and Livestock Production covers the animal side of the farm. Agricultural Equipment, Environmental Land Management and Commodity Marketing link production to machinery, stewardship and markets, while the Agro-Ecology Field Laboratory, Communications and Technology, Occupational Health & Safety and 1st Aid - Emergency round out your skills.

Much of the learning happens outdoors: field laboratory work runs through Agro-Ecology, Crop Production and Integrated Crop Management, there are equipment walk-arounds at dealerships and industry visits, and you are introduced to GPS mapping technology. You need your own Windows laptop and smartphone, as Mac devices are not compatible with the programme software. The Co-op Work Placement - AGADV is a minimum of 600 hours of full-time, paid work over 16 weeks. You graduate with First Aid and WHMIS, and you can go on to Manitoba Institute of Agrologists membership as a technical agrologist, Manitoba Pesticide Applicator/Dispenser licensing and the Prairie Provinces’ Certified Crop Advisor exam.

Agriculture graduates take entry-level roles as agronomy assistants, crop input sales representatives, livestock production technicians, crop insurance adjusters, farm equipment sales staff or research technicians, with grain and input companies, lenders, insurers, dealerships and government. It suits graduates from other fields who want a practical, fast route into Canadian farming.