Farm Life | Spring 2008
Join 4-H and conquer the world.
By Kate Rowland
More than simply a national organization focused on Canada's rural youth, 4-H is becoming the latest "must have" on a prospective employee's resume in agriculture and agri-business.
While the organization has spent almost 100 years teaching important technical and agricultural skills, 4-H also builds well-rounded adults by developing life skills necessary in today's business world. From citizenship, leadership, cooperation and responsibility to independence, entrepreneurship, financial management and public speaking skills, today's rural youth are entering the modern world of work far more prepared than those without these key proficiencies.
"The 4-H program continues to provide project opportunities that encourage young people to develop technical skills," says Marguerite Stark, head of Alberta's 4-H branch. As well, she adds, 4-H has grown over the years, becoming increasingly innovative and creative in terms of the interests of both its youth and their communities by looking at such issues as business sense and entrepreneurship. "I truly believe, too, that our strength lies in developing communication skills," she adds. "Those are the skills used in the workforce."
Offering a highly inclusive environment for learning and mentoring, 4-H teaches research skills, public speaking skills, and more. "One of the biggest strengths of 4-H participants is their ability to speak with confidence, and to have confidence in their abilities," Stark says. "They're not afraid to try something different. The program develops leadership skills: how to run a meeting, how to share leadership, and how to work in a team."
In the working world, such transferable skills are highly sought-after, says Derrick Rozdeba, Bayer CropScience's manager of integrated communications, and a volunteer member of the national 4-H council's board.
Rozdeba says employers typically look for three things in a prospective employee's resume. First, they check the level of education attained, and its applicability to the position. Second, he says, employers want to know about other achievements and responsibilities taken on. Finally, he says, what a prospective employee does with his or her free time is important. "When I see 4-H (on a resume), I see a certain level of business understanding, of being able to speak in public, of simple skill sets," he says. "Everything in 4-H has a start and a finish. Every time I see these kids I'm very impressed."
Rozdeba perceives huge value in keeping rural communities strong, and is convinced 4-H plays a big role in that. "Agriculture is bigger than the farm," he says. And for Bayer CropScience, investing in 4-H benefits both the company and the rural community it serves.
"We invest in 4-H from a monetary perspective, but also with our time," he says, noting that while money is necessary to keep the lights on, an investment of time is even more important because it's an investment of resources and experience in an organization. "Everybody wants a long-term commitment for sustainability. If you've got your employees involved, it's a win-win situation," he says.
A three-year 4-H member from Manitoba, Brad Ewankiw began his career with Bayer CropScience five years ago. Now based in Guelph, ON, as portfolio manager, horticulture, he says 4-H offers what he terms "some of the largest skills — a sense of teamwork, understanding how a group works together, and staying positive."
As a national group, he says, 4-H also gives members a sense of being part of a bigger entity, not unlike a corporation. "It offers an understanding of others, an understanding that people make mistakes, and that we are all working toward a common goal," he says. Ewankiw says 4-H is even more important now than ever before in terms of teaching the necessary skill sets needed to function effectively in a work environment. "I feel grateful that I was able to gain experience with 4-H, and the traits I learned have helped me in my career," he says.
"Bayer CropScience and other companies in the agricultural field serve their best interests by looking for 4-H in prospective employees' background and experience."
Finally, Marguerite Stark adds, 4-H strives to value fun. "And people learn best when they're having fun."
