Ontario’s Food and Beverage Manufacturing Sector Gets a Boost with Technology Centre
By Amanda Brodhagen, Farms.com
The food processing industry is hailed as Ontario’s largest manufacturing employer in the province. Given this status, it makes sense to invest in this sector. On Thursday, Conestoga College of Technology and Advanced Learning were pleased to have the grand opening of the Institute of Food Processing Technology (IFPT).
The opening of the IFPT was created in partnership with the Alliance of Ontario Food Processors (AOFP) and Conestoga College. The facility is a one-of-a-kind that seeks to focus on cultivating a skilled workforce – which will be unique to the needs of the sector.
The timing of the facility couldn’t have been better, as a recent study released by AOFP suggested that the food processing sector will face skilled workforce shortages by 2026. The creation of the IFPT will seek to address some of those future skill shortages and attempt to strengthen Ontario’s economy.
The new state-of-the-art facility will provide enhanced educational opportunities for students while meeting the needs of a growing food and beverage industry.