Grainswest - Spring 2019

Spring 2019 Grains West 30 BY TIMOTHY FOWLER • ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE SUBJECTS’ RESPECTIVE EMPLOYERS, EXCEPT LEE MARKERT PHOTO COURTESY ALBERTA CANOLA PRODUCERS COMMISSION You don’t have to be a farm kid to tackle a seed-related job AVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT YOU’RE GOING TO DO AFTER HIGH SCHOOL?” It’s a question that’s asked this time of year around many a dining room table. According to five agriculture professionals, pursuing a career in seed may be a rewarding path for recent high school graduates as well as those further along in their studies or now employed in other sectors. While job losses make headlines in other industries, the Canadian agricultural economy continues to grow, and positions in the seed sector are being taken up by rural and urban folk alike. If seed is the microchip that powers the Canadian agricultural economy, as one of our subjects suggests, it’s also the basis for a wide selection of engaging careers. For example, researchers develop improved seed varieties, while agronomists use their knowledge to coach the highest yields from the best seed. Careers in seed production involve every aspect of growing it, from advising farmers to managing farm operations. Supply- chain logistics jobs focus on ensuring seed quality is met and maintained. There are also seed-based careers in business, sales and marketing as well as in human resource management, legal advisement, intellectual property management and information technology. The educational credentials required for a career in seed vary from agriculture diploma to bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biology or other plant-related disciplines all the way to doctorates in genetics and biotechnology. In many cases, the ideal candidate for a particular job position may bring perfectly transferable skills from a completely unrelated industry. FEATURE OPPORTUNITIES IN A GROWING SECTOR