Training & Support
Assiniboine College Swine Production Programs
Whether you’re considering a career in the pork sector or looking to advance your career, Assiniboine Community College offers a range of swine production courses that will set you on the path to becoming a swine production technician, a production supervisor or a manager. The three programs currently being offered by Assiniboine Community College are:
Swine Production Foundations
- Swine Operation Foundations
- Professionalism for Swine Techs
- Swine Production Practices 1
Advanced Swine Production
- Swine Production Practices 2
- Swine Supervision Skills
Swine Production Leadership – Coming in 2024
- Swine Operation Foundations
- Professionalism for Swine Techs
- Swine Production Practices 1
For more information on any of the above courses or for questions about the application and registration process, please contact:
Assiniboine College
1430 Victoria Avenue East, Brandon, MB R7A 2A9
Continuing Studies
Agriculture Extension
Phone: 204-725-8712, ext. 6392
Email: agextension@assiniboine.net
First Aid & Hazardous Gas Awareness Training
First Aid
First Aid is a basic one-day course offering an overview of first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills for the workplace. The course includes the latest first aid and CPR guidelines. The course content includes preparing to respond, the EMS system, “Check, Call, Care,” airway emergencies, breathing and circulation emergencies, First Aid for respiratory and cardiac arrest and wound care.
Hazardous Gas Awareness
The new Hazardous Gas Awareness course is a 4-hour, in-person workshop that equips farm and barn workers with the essential knowledge to recognize, prevent, and respond to hazardous gas exposure. Participants will learn how to identify key gases – Hydrogen Sulphide (H₂S), Methane (CH₄), Ammonia (NH₃), and Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) – commonly found in agricultural environments. Through real-world examples, visual demonstrations, and group discussion, this course reinforces practical safety strategies and emergency response protocols. Participants will also receive a comprehensive manual for future reference.
Course arrangements can be made through:
Jodi Madill
Program Coordinator, Centre of Continuing Studies
Assiniboine College
1430 Victoria Avenue East, Brandon, MB R7A 2A9
Phone: 204-725-8700, ext. 6028 or toll-free at 1-800-862-6307, ext. 6028
Email: madillj@assiniboine.net
The PigLEARN Platform
PigLEARN is an online training platform designed to enhance skills and boost productivity in the swine industry. It caters to both independent hog farmers, as well as integrated company employees. The catalogue of available training modules can be viewed here: https://www.pork-porc.ca/on-farm/piglearn/
For more information or to register, contact Manitoba Pork at info@manitobapork.com or 204-237-7447.
Manitoba Pork contracts with a HR consultant to help producers manage their workplace issues.
For in-person or webinar training on HR-related topics, please contact:
Laura Matlashewski
Phone: 204-990-6821
Email: lauramatlashewski@gmail.com
Training topics could include but are not limited to:
• Conflict Resolution
• Working within Employment Standards
• Hiring and Recruiting
• Managing Multi-Generations in the Workplace
• Succession Planning
• Managing Remotely
• Performance Management
• Team Motivation and Engagement
• Time Management
Having a safe work environment is a critical aspect to all hog farm operations. Manitoba Pork is committed to helping producers run safe and healthy workplaces by collaborating with Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) to raise awareness of the need for safe work environments. This includes the development of a Farm Safety Guide for producers. This guide is a fillable PDF that includes information and resources key to ensuring that you and your employees remain safe at work. This Guide is not intended to cover every requirement of the WSH Act and Regulation, but it will outline some of the steps you can take to begin to develop and implement a safety management system.
Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health conduct regular inspections of hog farms in Manitoba. Manitoba Pork and FarmSafe Manitoba have developed a factsheet of information about how farmers should prepare for these inspections.
To assist in ensuring that workplaces are in compliance with The Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health Act, a free and confidential on-farm consultation can be arranged with Farm Safe Manitoba’s safety consultant, Morag Marjerison, at morag.marjerison@kap.ca or call 204-697-1140.
Farm & Rural Stress Support
Manitoba Farm, Rural & Northern Support Services, provides telephone and on-line counselling to farmers, rural and northern Manitobans. They also offer public education, a volunteer training program, and a monthly Suicide Bereavement Support group.
Call their telephone help line toll free at 1-866-367-3276, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program
The Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program (MFWP) is dedicated to building hope, health and resilience in Manitoba’s agriculture community. MFWP is an initiative aimed at providing mental health support for farmers and their families. It has been designed to provide one-on-one, no cost, confidential counselling sessions by professional counselors with a background in agriculture.
For more information on the program, click here.
The following are links to applicable employment resources for Manitoba.
Quality AgriWorkforce Management: This guide to hiring and managing international workers on your farm from the Canadian Agricultural Human Resources Council is designed for use by Canadian producers in the ag sector, covering provincial and federal legislation as well as best practices for your operation.
Employment Standards in Agriculture in Manitoba: This website covers all farm operations. Pay careful attention to your category. Some rules apply to everyone in agriculture, while others may only apply to those in climate-controlled facilities (such as hog farms).
Farm Safe Manitoba: FarmSafe Manitoba is an initiative led by Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) to build and expand the culture of farm safety in Manitoba through awareness, education, and program delivery.
Safe Work Manitoba: This website is a resource for safety-related information.
Workers Compensation: Workers Compensation covers all employees in agriculture should they be injured on the job.
Manitoba Human Rights Commission: All employees should be treated equally and fairly. Should you have any issues regarding the need to accommodate a worker or questions about human rights, please review this website. Click here for the Human Rights Commission’s resource to determine what type of questions you can and cannot ask a potential employee.