Olds College has announced the creation of a new certificate in agriculture technology.
Open to students who already have degrees or diplomas, the Agriculture Technology Post Diploma Certificate will take one year to complete at an estimated cost of $5,500 plus $1,400 for books and supplies, said Blayne Meek, director of corporate communications and marketing at the college.
The certificate program will provide students with an understanding of how related technologies and components interact to provide accurate information and real-time monitoring and controls to the agriculture producer, said Debbie Thompson, the college’s vice-president, academic and student experience.
“As technology applications on-farm and in agribusiness continue to iterate (perform) through multiple versions, both hardware and software, a significant skill gap exists within the industry when it comes to supporting agriculture producers adopting new technology,” Thompson said in a press release.
“The new certificate will provide students with opportunities to recognize the connectedness of, and interactions between, hardware and software to enable producers maximum uptime in the field.
“Graduates will be able to apply this knowledge to link emerging technologies with existing farm infrastructure.”
To qualify for admission, students must hold a diploma or degree in mechanics, agriculture, land, environment, technology, engineering, forestry or information systems, or a journeyman agriculture equipment technician or heavy equipment technician.
The college will begin accepting applications for the new certificate in October, with a start date of September next year.
“The new certificate is one of many exciting new ag tech initiatives that are being developed and launched as Olds College continues to grow and evolve as Canada’s Smart Ag College,” she said.
The Olds College Smart Farm was launched in June 2018, followed by the opening of the Smart Ag Innovation Centre.
