Agriculture

Career Ladder

Learn About The Agriculture Career Path

Advance your skills and learn what it takes to move up the Agriculture Career Ladder!

Each career level contains information about hourly wages, job descriptions, main job duties, examples of job titles, general skills, and links to educational courses and training opportunities. Select one of the levels to learn more.

To explore other career ladders, please visit our Career Ladders page. If you have further questions about local labour market information, email helpdesk@wdb.ca or visit wdb.ca.

* Many other career paths branch out from apprenticeship within the agriculture industry.

Entrepreneur / Business Owner

MEDIAN HOURLY WAGE
Varies

Agricultural Representatives, Consultants & Specialists

$39.25

Agricultural & Fish Product Inspectors

$38.61

Farm Supervisors & Service Contractors

$22.00

Livestock & Harvesting Labourers

$17.71

Apprenticeships can lead to careers in agriculture. It is also possible to enter this career path directly.

Apprenticeship*

$22.00

*median hourly wage as of October 1, 2024

Apprenticeship

Hourly
Wages

Low
$17.20

Median
$22.00

High
$25.00

What is Apprenticeship?

A pathway to a rewarding career in the trades that require a high level of skill, judgement and creativity
A combination of on-the-job training & in-school learning
An opportunity to earn an hourly wage while learning from experienced workers
A 2-5 year process wherein apprentices work for a year, then switch to studying in class for 8-12 weeks
144 trades in Ontario that support mechanical, electrical, automotive, manufacturing, building and service industries

Skills

Technical Skills
Judgement
Creativity

Examples of Trades with Apprenticeships

Agricultural Equipment Technician
Dairy Herdsperson
Swine Herdsperson
Fruit Grower



Education & Training Resources

MINISTRY OF LABOUR, IMMIGRATION, TRAINING AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

Apprenticeship in Ontario

SKILLED TRADES ONTARIO

Starting an Apprenticeship

FLEMING COLLEGE

Apprenticeship Programs

ONTARIO YOUTH APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM

Why Apprenticeship?

SUPPORT ONTARIO YOUTH

Is an Apprenticeship Right for You?

View Job Posts

Online job posting numbers are designated via key word search and may not reflect the exact number of search results for this occupation.

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Livestock and Harvesting Labourers

Hourly
Wages

Low
$17.20

Median
$17.71

High
$22.80

Main Job Duties

Plant, fertilize, cultivate, spray, irrigate and harvest crops
Operate and maintain farm machinery and equipment
Assist in the maintenance of facilities including cleaning stables, barns, barnyards and pens
May feed and care for livestock, determine feed portions, estimate feed requirements and costs, and monitor and order supplies

Skills

Teamwork Reliability
Problem Solving Flexibility
Attention To Detail

Job Title Examples

Orchard Worker
Dairy Farm Labourer
Hatchery Worker



Education & Training Resources

SECONDARY SCHOOL
Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM)* – Agriculture, Environment

Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board
Trillium Lakelands District School Board
Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board

* Subject to availability

SERVICE PROVIDERS
Find your local employment service provider here or adult education and training provider here and contact them for current training programs such as:

Occupational-specific training, career planning, job search, resume writing, or government-funded programs
Upgrading and skills development including grade 12 support, customer service, money math, computers, and apprenticeship preparation

View Job Posts

Online job posting numbers are designated via key word search and may not reflect the exact number of search results for this occupation.

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Agricultural Representatives, Consultants & Specialists

Hourly
Wages

Low
$32.00

Median
$39.25

High
$49.60

Agricultural Representatives Consultants and Specialists Phone

Main Job Duties

Provide counselling and advisory services to farmers
Prepare and conduct advisory information sessions and lectures for farmers and other groups
Conduct research, analyze agricultural data and prepare research reports
Liase with researchers, educators and government or business managers on matters pertaining to farming and agriculture
Maintain records of services provided and the effects of advice given

Skills

Research
Interpersonal Skills
Time Management
Organization
Work Independently

Job Title Examples

Agricultural Consultant
Agrologist
Crop Specialist



Education & Training Resources

A bachelor’s or master’s degree in agriculture or related science is required. Membership in the provincial institute of agrology may be required.

ONTARIO TOURISM EDUCATION CORPORATION

Professional Agrologists (P. Ags)

TRENT UNIVERSITY
Post-Secondary Education

Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems (Honours BSc)
Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems (Honours BA)
* Specialization in Applied Agriculture available for both programs
Biology (BSc)

View Job Posts

Online job posting numbers are designated via key word search and may not reflect the exact number of search results for this occupation.

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Farm Supervisors & Service Contractors

Hourly
Wages

Low
$17.99

Median
$22.00

High
$27.70

Farm Supervisors and Service Contractors Phone

Main Job Duties

Coordinate, assign and supervise the work of general farm workers and harvesting labourers
Supervise, monitor and enforce procedures to maintain animal and crop health and welfare
Hire and train workers, maintain ﬁnancial and operational records, and maintain quality control
Supervise maintenance of infrastructure, equipment and supplies

Skills

Teamwork
Attention To Detail
Mechanical Aptitude
Quality Control
Customer Service

Job Title Examples

Farm Lead Hand
Herdsperson
Livestock Breeding Service Contractor



Education & Training Resources

Workers in these occupations usually require a college diploma or a university degree and several years experience related to the ﬁeld. Contractors providing certain services may require speciﬁc training certiﬁcates and provincial licensing.

SERVICE PROVIDERS
Find your local employment service provider here or adult education and training provider here and contact them for current training programs such as:

Occupational-specific training, career planning, job search, resume writing, or government-funded programs
Upgrading and skills development including grade 12 support, customer service, money math, computers, and apprenticeship preparation

TRENT UNIVERSITY
Post-Secondary Education

Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems (Honours BSc)
Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems (Honours BA)
* Specialization in Applied Agriculture available for both programs

View Job Posts

Online job posting numbers are designated via key word search and may not reflect the exact number of search results for this occupation.

FLEMING COLLEGE
Post-Secondary Education

Sustainable Agriculture (Co-op)

CONTINUING EDUCATION

Leadership Development
Project Management
Leadership in a Team Environment

RED SEAL PROGRAM

Agricultural Equipment Technician

ONTARIO TOURISM EDUCATION CORPORATION

Service Excellence Series

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Agricultural & Fish Product Inspectors

Hourly
Wages

Low
$31.79

Median
$38.61

High
$43.07

Agricultural and Fish Products Inspectors

Main Job Duties

Inspect fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables at inspection centres and prepare reports on crop production and market conditions
Inspect and grade all classes of grain at terminal elevators and monitor the fumigation of infested grain
Examine storage, handling and transportation equipment to ensure that sanitary procedures are followed
Monitor the operations and sanitary conditions of slaughtering and meat processing plants and inspect carcasses to ensure they are ﬁt for human consumption

Skills

Attention To Detail
Food Safety Reliability
Flexibility
Oral Communication

Job Title Examples

Grain Inspector
Dairy Products Inspector
Crop Certiﬁcation Inspector



Education & Training Resources

Completion of a college program in a related discipline or several years of experience in food preparation or service are required.

SERVICE PROVIDERS
Find your local employment service provider here or adult education and training provider here and contact them for current training programs such as:

Occupational-specific training, career planning, job search, resume writing, or government-funded programs
Upgrading and skills development including grade 12 support, customer service, money math, computers, and apprenticeship preparation

TRENT UNIVERSITY
Post-Secondary Education

Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems (Honours BSc)
Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems (Honours BA)
* Specialization in Applied Agriculture available for both programs
Biology (BSc)

View Job Posts

Online job posting numbers are designated via key word search and may not reflect the exact number of search results for this occupation.

Explore Another Career

Entrepreneur / Business Owner

Approximately 50 new agriculture businesses are launched annually in the WDB Region.

entrepreneurs and business owners what you do phone

Main Job Duties

Creating and managing a business plan, ongoing research and planning, hiring staff, creating policies, and forecasting
Maintaining business accounts, payments processing, taxes and general bookkeeping
Develop marketing campaigns, manage social media and conduct other marketing activities
Respond to customer service inquiries, including answering phone calls and emails to build a positive reputation for the business

Skills

Work Independently
Customer Service
Organization Accounting
Time Management

Job Title Examples

Small Business Owner
Franchisee

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Education & Training Resources

ONTARIO SUMMER COMPANY
Grant for students aged 15 to 29 to start a new summer business

Northumberland Summer Company Program
Peterborough Summer Company Program
Kawartha Lakes Summer Company Program

STARTER COMPANY PLUS
Grant for Canadians 18+ to start a new business or grow a business that has been in operations for fewer than five years

Northumberland Starter Company Program
Peterborough Starter Company Program
Kawartha Lakes Starter Company Program

COMMUNITY FUTURES
Financing, mentorship and community support for local small businesses

Haliburton County Development Corporation
Kawartha Lakes CFDC
Community Futures Peterborough
Northumberland CFDC

INNOVATION CLUSTER
Supports entrepreneurs in the formation and growth of tech-driven companies

Innovation Cluster

FLEMING COLLEGE
Post-Secondary

Business Case Development
Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship
Small Business Financial Management

TRENT UNIVERSITY
Post-Secondary

Business Administration (B.B.A.), Entrepreneurship Specialization

Explore Another Career

Sources:
National Occupational Classification (NOC)
Lightcast (2023.3)
Job Bank
Job posting data is from WDB Local Jobs Hub (WDB Region)

These Career Ladders were developed as part of the Pathways to Prosp erity Program
and are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

This Employment Ontario project is funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario.

Agriculture

Career Ladder

Learn About The Agriculture Career Path

* Many other career paths branch out from apprenticeship within the agriculture industry.

Entrepreneur / Business Owner

Agricultural Representatives, Consultants & Specialists

Agricultural & Fish Product Inspectors

Farm Supervisors & Service Contractors

Livestock & Harvesting Labourers

Apprenticeships can lead to careers in agriculture. It is also possible to enter this career path directly.

Apprenticeship*

Apprenticeship

What is Apprenticeship?

Skills

Examples of Trades with Apprenticeships

Education & Training Resources

Livestock and Harvesting Labourers

Main Job Duties

Skills

Job Title Examples

Education & Training Resources

Agricultural Representatives, Consultants & Specialists

Main Job Duties

Skills

Job Title Examples

Education & Training Resources

Farm Supervisors & Service Contractors

Main Job Duties

Skills

Job Title Examples

Education & Training Resources

Agricultural & Fish Product Inspectors

Main Job Duties

Skills

Job Title Examples

Education & Training Resources

Entrepreneur / Business Owner

Main Job Duties

Skills

Job Title Examples

Education & Training Resources

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