CAREERS IN AG management and was prepared to pursue his career in that field when family circumstances brought him home to the family farm. Taking a job on the floor at Seedhawk as a painter, a job he saw as a way to pay the bills, showed him the exciting career opportunities available in ag. His outgoing personality and positive attitude were recognized, and he soon found himself in a marketing and sales position. He says he became “addicted to talking to farmers about new technology,” which led him to move to DOT, which was bought by Raven, where he combines his love of new technology and communication. Morson says there is a misconception many people have about farming – that things are done the same way generation after generation when, in reality, new technologies are being adopted and improved constantly. In fact, agriculture adopts new technologies at a faster pace than any other industry. Morson believes that great careers in ag are available to many more people in many different capacities than is realized. How to get there? “We have room for everybody, and it’s so fluid. Showing interest in another department can allow moving to a fulfilling position.”
Ag careers provide stability The name Mattland Riley may be familiar to CFL fans from his time with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. What they may not know is that he used his abilities as a football player to get him through his studies in mechanical engineering. That time spent on the family farm figuring out how the machinery worked led him to go for his Mech. Eng degree. Riley played with the Roughriders for about a year. Unfortunately, he was injured, and that time off gave him the space to contemplate the ins and outs of a professional athletic career. He reached the decision to pursue engineering to provide stability for his family. As advice to anyone seeking a career in any facet of ag, Riley says, “There is opportunity. Show up every day humble and willing to put in the work.”
What does ag need to do to attract talent?
is in ag. It’s not just Tesla. This needs to be communicated to the general public. The rewards and careers are there.” Stewart says that people just need to know careers are available, “Let them know the job exists. [They] have to be able to visualize it.” Riley doesn’t remember anyone from ag coming into his school to do presentations, “This needs to happen. Other industries do it, so get into schools!” Clearly, Careers in Ag, with its spirit of collaboration and passion for the industry, is getting the word out to dispel some of the industry’s myths and is moving in the right direction to attract the right talent to the right careers in ag. Uniting industry, academia and government through career fairs and the CareersinAg.com website, the Careers in Ag initiative has taken a bold step forward. The program is uniting the ag industry with talent and exposing a broader range of job seekers to the vibrant world of the ag industry.
It’s clear that there are many exciting opportunities available in ag. Still, the word is not fully out to those looking for fulfilling careers that there is a place for them in the agricultural industry. The panelists all agreed that until now, ag had been undersold.
In case you missed it, watch the panel discussion for the Launch Your Career in Ag Event here.
Morson is passionate about getting the word out that tech is a massive field in agriculture, “Autonomy
GREAT
Mattland Riley, Design Engineer for Redekop, says his love for building, math and being creative led him to pursue an education in engineering. His career expectations of doing meaningful work and contributing to agriculture in an impactful way led him to Redekop, a manufacturer of straw chopper upgrades for combines. Redekop focuses on developing innovative harvest technologies that reduce labour and improve farmers’ profitability. As a Design Engineer, Riley can be involved in projects from conception to design completion. A customer may bring a broad idea for a project to Redekop, and Riley would take that idea or problem and create a solution. Since the design and manufacturing process takes place over what Riley describes as ‘seasons,’ each day brings new challenges. He says there is no typical day. Regarding the ag manufacturing industry, Riley says the whole community is very accepting, with great people and places to work. Compared to other industries, Ag Manufacturing very quickly puts young engineers to work designing and contributing meaningfully. Ag manufacturing allowed Riley to meet his career expectations right from the start. He says, “Agriculture gives younger engineers a unique opportunity to do that.”
PEOPLE AND PLACES TO WORK MATTLAND RILEY
Scan the QR code to learn more about Mattland’s career.
Design Engineer, Redekop
Thank you to our Media Partner Freebird
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@Agricultural Manufacturers of Canada (AMC)
Implement Success | Fall/Winter 2023
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