The Green Certificate Program is adding a new course.

"Poultry Technician" joins the list of courses being offered such as beekeeper production technician, cow-calf beef production technician, equine technician and irrigated field crop production technician.

The Green Certificate Program is an agricultural apprenticeship style program high school students can take to gain credits and practical training.

The Province invests $400,000 annually to cover the course fees for students enrolled in the program.

Producer Programs Manager with Alberta Chicken Producers, Robert Renema, says the poultry technician course fills a critical gap in the program.

"We've got birds for egg production, we have birds for growing for meat, and we have our turkeys, and we have the hatching eggs. They're all specialized in their own ways, and because elements of that are fairly small, it's hard to find champions to be able to teach those types of things, and so this is was really a nice way to draw it all together."

He says, the poultry technician course will provide training for their industry's up and coming generation.

"It's hard to get trained. The University courses at times focus on things that aren't practical at the farm level, and to just get that awareness and practical in the field type skill, this is a fantastic way to do that."

16-year-old Ethan Meyer of Coaldale is the owner of Ethan's Eggs, and joined Alberta Minister of Education, David Eggen, for the announcement on Friday, September 14.

"As a high school student with a small business, I don't have time to work a part-time job like my friends," Ethan said. "It's tough to get the same work experience credits they do, and the Green Certificate Program can help me get the credits I need to finish high school."

About 750 students across Alberta participate in the green certificate program every year.

 

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