AG Strategy: AG WORKFORCE

Key Points

CDL Training

An insufficiency of training programs, instructors, and testing facilities and industry turnover have led to significant workforce issues as demand for CDL drivers to support all aspects of the food supply chain, especially the processing sector, increases.

Meat Cutting & Butchering

Along with the demand for meat processing comes the need for qualified meat cutters and butcherers.

Bilingual Training

Breaking down the language barrier between operators, hiring managers, and other business leaders and the Region’s Spanish-speaking population is a critical step toward expanding the ag-sector workforce.

Farm Labor Database

Farm labor is in high demand in the Region, but the absence of centralized, localized, and user-friendly portals between operators and laborers may unnecessarily limit delays in filling vacant positions.

Action Steps

  • Work with the Starke County Initiative for Lifelong Learning Center to find the resources needed to develop and expand their CDL program and, once appropriate, to develop marketing materials to increase awareness of the program. Investigate opportunities for replicating the program elsewhere to ensure greater regional coverage.
  • Research the viability of using Belstra Milling’s bilingual program with Purdue Northwest as a model for regional replication.
  • Expand awareness of education and training programs addressing various agricultural needs available throughout the region and state, including, but not limited to, Ivy Tech’s dual-credit opportunities and the ag program in Valparaiso.
  • Identify programs that can be implemented at the high school level to develop the future ag workforce.
    • Schedule companies to present at schools to showcase the products produced and the demand for a qualified workforce.
    • Take teachers on field trips to agribusinesses across the Region to ensure they are aware of the job opportunities and skill sets needed in the agriculture and food-processing industries.
    • Leverage existing programs, such as FFA, to maximize the visibility and effectiveness of these programming opportunities.
    • Coordinate the establishment of National Manufacturing Day programming at middle and high schools across the Region and prioritize including ag-related manufacturers in these events.
    • Create marketing materials for agribusinesses that target high school students and are organized around special days (National Ag Day). The material may include flyers, videos, and the use of social media, such as TikTok.
  • Develop a regional Ag Labor Database that companies and job seekers can utilize.
    • Request PCRD to complete a search of jobs posted online to help determine what roles and skills are in demand.
    • Research job-search websites (e.g., IN Career Connect) to identify if any currently have an ag focus. Then work to develop the regional database with the following parameters:
      • all jobs posted will have an expiration date,
      • companies will be responsible for posting the jobs, and
      • job seekers will be able to upload their résumés to the site.