Agricultural Education for Alberta’s Next Generation
The Lakeland College experience is one for doers.
At Lakeland College, every student is challenged to go beyond the classroom and to be part of student-led and student-managed experiences at the 50-plus programs across campus. These work-integrated experiences at the Vermilion and Lloydminster campuses lead to confident, collaborative graduates who are ready to thrive in their industries. By educating Alberta’s local and regional workforce, Lakeland plays a significant role in rural sustainability and economic development across our province.
As the first school of agriculture and third oldest post-secondary institute in Alberta, Lakeland is deeply rooted in the development of agricultural education in Alberta and the province’s agriculture industry overall.
The Vermilion campus is home to the award-winning Student-Managed Farm – powered by New Holland, where Lakeland students have the extraordinary opportunity to manage a working commercial farm. They lead commercial-scale crop, livestock (cattle, dairy, equine, and soon bison) and agriculture research enterprises.
“Our approach to agricultural education is straightforward: we put students in real-world scenarios,
challenging them to think critically and learn through tangible experience, and we support them as they become highly capable thinkers and doers,” says Dr. Alice Wainwright-Stewart, president and CEO of Lakeland College.
With access to modern agriculture facilities including a new Dairy Learning Centre and Animal Health Clinic, hundreds of head of livestock and 3,000-plus acres of crop and pastureland, the real world comes to Lakeland's agriculture students before they graduate. Their Lakeland experience includes using the latest in agricultural technology, including new equipment and technology from New Holland Agriculture, robotic milking and feeding systems, software platforms, in-field monitors, precision technology, digital radiography and more.
“They might be leading active research enterprises on campus or navigating challenges on our student-managed farm. No matter what their path, Lakeland students are invested in creating a sustainable future for themselves, our region, and the agricultural industry overall,” says Michael Crowe, Lakeland’s vice president of academic and research.
Practical education. Real-world results.
This fall, Lakeland will become the first post-secondary institution in Canada to offer an agriculture technology degree. Created for people with skills in agriculture production and management, this degree program will help them to understand and work with cutting-edge technology and its data, ensuring higher productivity and better industry innovation.
Through this program, Lakeland is attracting and developing modern thinkers who have the practical experience to help the industry work more effectively and efficiently, while providing the dedication required to sustain and enhance rural communities across Alberta.
“There’s a lot of technology already available and in use in the agricultural industry. However, few people have an in-depth understanding of how to integrate that information into their commercial farm operations and agriculture businesses. Our new degree program will produce graduates who can effectively use emerging technologies and the data they produce to provide important answers on return on investment,” says Crowe. Officially opening this fall, the Agriculture Technology Centre will be home to the program and the central hub for ag tech research and data collection at Lakeland College.
A two-year agricultural sustainability diploma program designed to help students meet the challenges of global food production and the post-bachelor certificate in commercial agriculture production are also launching this fall.
Research with impact
Collaboration is the cornerstone of research at Lakeland. Thanks to significant grants from the Government of Canada and Government of Alberta, Lakeland’s research team has expanded, which means more research expertise, opportunities to collaborate and a broader range of projects that support producer-led research priorities.
Lakeland’s tactical focus for applied research activity is to advance real-world agricultural productivity and sustainability in key commercial crop and livestock sectors. “We work with industry leaders, government officials, and other post-secondary institutions to ensure that our research efforts are at the forefront of discovery,” says Crowe.
Committed to Alberta
Whether providing job preparation, pursuing rural sustainability or advancing as Canada's premier ag tech hub, Lakeland is driving economic growth and foundational stability in Alberta.By staying at the forefront of the agricultural industry — especially in technology — Lakeland will continue to play a key role in supporting Alberta’s economic growth, creating jobs, programs and partnerships that propel our province forward.
“Providing the best possible programming, partnerships, and career opportunities for our students means that we aren’t simply laying the foundation for individuals to thrive,” says Wainwright-Stewart. “We’re creating paths for stronger productivity, smarter sustainability, and a more profitable future for our region and our province.”
