Student co-op placement offers valuable experience and new friendships 

Dylan Vennard is a third-year student at Saskatchewan Polytechnic who recently completed an eight-month co-op placement at Hebert Grain Ventures.

Coming from his uncle’s farm in Langbank (about 2500 acres), he says working on a 40,000-acre farm was a real “eye-opener.”

Vennard, from White City, SK, is pursuing his Agriculture and Food Production Diploma and will graduate this spring. 

Dylan was responsible for operating large farm equipment and machinery. He was also keenly interested in the precision technology used on the farm. 

“I really enjoyed learning to use the prescription maps when we were spreading fertilizers or spraying. There are a lot of logistics and planning involved. It really surprised me how well everything went and how fast things got done on such a large farm,” says Dylan. 

His 8-month work term allowed him to experience the full cycle of farming, from seeding to harvest and fall clean-up.

“I started in the rock picker during seeding, then went into the sprayer and on the grain cart during harvest. After harvest I was running the discer and pro-till, which we use to break new land for seeding next spring,” he says.

Over the past few years, HGV has been partnering with agriculture schools, such as Olds College and SK Polytechnic, to recruit quality seasonal staff. It’s a win-win as students require a co-op placement to complete their schooling. 

“Students like Dylan have a strong passion for agriculture, have a great work ethic, learn to operate the equipment quickly and are able to use the technology we have on the farm. They have been great additions to our team,” says Jeff Warkentin, Chief Operating Officer at HGV.

Dylan lived in HGV-provided accommodations in Moosomin where he roomed with other seasonal workers from New Zealand and Germany. He values the camaraderie and friendships he developed while living and working together with other team members.

“There was such a great atmosphere at HGV. Everyone tried to help out and everyone is working toward the same goal. There are a lot of great people working there,” he says.

His advice to other students who may be considering a co-op placement outside the city in a rural area: “Don’t be afraid of getting your hands dirty and going for that job. Moving to another part of the province might feel scary, but you will gain a ton of work experience and have a lot of fun. It’s definitely worth going.”

Dylan is excited to finish school and find a full-time role in primary producer agriculture. He also dreams of one day running his own farm on land that he inherited from his grandfather.