In partnership with Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO), the University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus’ Dairy Herdsperson Apprenticeship (DHA) program will be expanding to offer a hybrid, distance education option for students who are not able to study in person full-time or are already working on farms around the province.

Participants will learn about animal health, routine herd maintenance and nutrition, and operating farm equipment. They will complete 480 hours of classroom training, hearing directly from industry experts about milking, feeding, animal health, reproduction, and other dairy-related skills.

Students in the DHA program will also complete 5,520 hours of on-farm training as part of a paid work placement, where they learn hands-on skills, including operating and maintaining farm machinery, working directly with animals and processing milk. All this will prepare them for rewarding and in-demand careers in Ontario’s agricultural industry.

The distance learning program will be available in 2024.

This project is funded through the government’s Skills Development Fund, an over $700 million initiative, which supports ground-breaking programs that connect jobseekers with the skills and training they need to find well-paying careers close to home.

Click here for more information on the Dairy Herdsperson Apprenticeship program.

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