Practical experience, knowledge of different growing regions, and a steady summer job — each is an example of something Tyrel Carlson, a second-year student, has acquired through the Co-op Excellence in Ag Program.
The Excellence in Ag scholarship offers a multi-year academic financing and internship program for college and university students pursuing careers in agriculture. Carlson first heard about the program from his sister — herself a previous scholarship recipient — and thought it would help him achieve his agronomy degree at the University of Saskatchewan.
Having completed one year, and now in his second placement through the program, he’s already garnered a wide range of important real-world experience.
“I find the stuff you learn at school helps the foundation of what you learn in the field. When you do get to the field, it’s just fine-tuning for a greater understanding,” says Carlson, himself a lifelong farm kid from the region around Yorkton, Saskatchewan.
“When you get to the field and feel and touch and see how stuff works, that’s when all that stuff clicks and settles in your memory.”
Real World Application of Classroom Learning
There’s certainly no shortage of sensory experiences and lessons for Carlson at Co-op. The internship has exposed him to a wide array of jobs, including equipment maintenance, fertilizer mixing, managing chemical inputs, and a variety of other tasks crucial to a thriving agricultural inputs business.
“I do get out in the field often, but the thing is, working at Co-op lets you get your toes wet in all aspects of work at a Co-op Agro Centre. We’re dealing with farmers on a daily basis,” he says, adding that scouting and working directly with farm clients remain his favourite tasks.
“Scouting with farmers and talking with them, even if it’s just them coming to the office — it’s that personal level. It lets us understand how they want their operation to run, how that might be different from someone else, and how we can help them do that.”
Multiple Benefits for Ag Students
There are other benefits to the Excellence in Ag Program too, notably the security afforded by a guaranteed summer job and the opportunity to work in different areas.
Indeed, Carlson considers the program to be an “all-in-one” package — providing employment between academic seasons, real-world experience, plus additional financial support for pursuing a degree or diploma in the farm sector.
“It’s great because you get the assurance of a job every summer. Having a position held for you also means you don’t have to apply to a bunch of positions… that’s why this program is so valuable. That’s part of the pitch I give everyone,” he says.