Agriculture Technology Integration Post-Diploma Certificate

Student working on a sensor on a farm

What can you expect from our program?

This dynamic NEW post-diploma certificate in Agriculture Technology Integration is designed to provide students with an understanding of how related technologies and components interact to provide accurate information and real-time monitoring and controls to the agriculture producer. You will be provided with opportunities to recognize the connectedness of, and interactions between, hardware and software to enable producers to maximize uptime in the field. You will learn to link emerging technologies with existing farm infrastructure including the installation, calibration, troubleshooting and repair of precision agriculture hardware and equipment, including mechanical and software systems. This program is designed for students who already hold a diploma or degree.

Alternate iframe text

What will you learn?

You can expect a blended course delivery, of face-to-face classes on the Olds College campus and high tech, hands on experiences at the Olds College Smart Farm. Upon completion of this program, students will have the skills to:

Install, calibrate, troubleshoot, and repair precision agriculture software and hardware systems.
Facilitate interface between agricultural equipment and current and emerging technology (develop skills in the selection and use of tools and processes to produce and care for an agricultural information system for an identified need or outcome).
Apply current industry safety protocols and standards.
Develop the skill and mindset necessary for maintaining knowledge of current and emerging agricultural technology.
Develop knowledge and skill in a range of technologies for a variety of purposes in an agricultural enterprise.

Develop knowledge and an understanding of the factors that impact a system's design.
Design, produce and evaluate projects that satisfy identified needs, demonstrating skill, knowledge, and understanding of the system's design process.
Develop knowledge and an understanding of the functional requirements of information systems for a range of applications within an agricultural enterprise.
Develop knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of the interrelationship between design, technology, the individual, society, and the environment.
Develop an appreciation of social and ethical issues and the significance of agricultural information systems in society.

View Program Outlines

Icon

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Olds College has a solid reputation working with employers in the industry! This directly translates into jobs for our graduates. Opportunities include, but are not limited to:

Precision Agriculture Specialist
Agriculture Business Development Integrator
Precision Farming Sales Specialist
Precision Farming Technical Lead
Knowledge and Innovation Coordinator
GIS Specialist
Data Management
Applications Engineer
Adoption Specialist
Precision Agronomist
Digital Farming Specialist
Account Executive
Agricultural Operator
Service Technician
Agricultural Consultant
Crop Risk Specialist

Visit ALIS to find Occupational Profiles with current wages, industry trends and more!

ALIS Occupational Profiles

Credential: Post-Diploma Certificate

Length of Program: 8 Months

Method of Delivery: Olds Campus

Program Intakes: Fall Intake (September)

Program Dates: Please visit our Dates & Schedules page to confirm start and end dates of your desired program and confirm campus closures.

Applications Open: October 1 for the Fall Intake

Selection Process for Admission: First Qualified, First Accepted

Tuition, Mandatory Fees, Books, and Supplies: Please refer to the current Fee Schedule for details

Tuition: $5,380 / Fees: $1,450 / Books & Supplies: $1,500

* Please note that international students pay 3.5 times the domestic tuition amount. These fees are provided as estimates only for the purposes of budgeting. All students should refer to the Fee Schedule for the most accurate information and all fees are subject to change.*

What do I need to apply?

Admission Requirements:

Minimum 2.5 GPA in the required credits from a diploma or degree in the study of mechanics, agriculture, land, environment, technology, engineering, forestry,or information systems;
OR
Certified Journeyperson Agricultural Equipment Technician or Heavy Equipment Technician
All applicants must meet the English Language Proficiency Requirement

Students may not receive advance credit based on credits previously achieved as part of the admission requirement.

This program is to be completed in two consecutive terms.

International Applicants: Olds College welcomes applications from international applicants and those who have completed their high school education outside of Canada. Please note, it is still necessary to meet all of the noted admission requirements, including English Language Proficiency. Further information can be found on our website under International Students.

What is the Olds College Smart Farm?

In the summer of 2018, Olds College launched the Olds College Smart Farm, an exciting initiative that is transforming the College’s existing farm into a farm of the future. By incorporating the latest technologies aimed at improving productivity, while efficiently and sustainably using resources, the Smart Farm is creating a cutting-edge learning environment for students and life-long learners.

Learn more

What is the Smart Ag Innovation Centre?

To properly analyze data, plan for future growing seasons, and collaborate with students, industry partners, and producers, the College required a dedicated space in which stakeholders can meet and data can be processed. This space was created within the former President’s House and has been named the Olds College Smart Ag Innovation Centre (SAIC). The new facility includes a number of elements that are designed to contribute to the academic excellence of students, bolster applied research, decrease the environmental footprint of the Smart Farm, and be an industry leader in Smart Agriculture.

Learn More

Admitted Student Information

Program Dates: Find out when your term start and end dates are, so that you know when you are expected to be in attendance. For more information, please review the Program Dates & Fee Schedule.

Class Registration: You will be registered into your classes automatically. This will happen approximately 1 month prior to the start-date for your program. You will be notified once you have been timetabled into your courses. You will be able to see your class schedule in your My Olds College account. If you need to make any changes to your class registration, please contact the Office of the Registrar.

Technology Requirements: It is required that you come to Olds College with the following technology:

Students will use a variety of memory-intensive, Windows-only programs extensively in lectures and labs. A PC laptop running the latest version of the Microsoft Windows operating system (as of December 2020, Microsoft Windows 10. Mac and Chrome OS are not suitable. Minimum of 8GB RAM and 250GB (512 Gb recommended) available disk storage space is mandatory for this program. Laptops should have sufficient battery life to operate in the field for up to 2 hours.

As part of your student accounts, all students have access to Office 365 for the duration of their time with Olds College. To access this you just need to follow these steps:

Go to portal.office.com
Enter your Olds College email address and password
Once logged in, there is a button on the right that says “Install Office Apps”

This will give you access to the full Office suite on your computer.

Materials & Supplies:

The following items are required:

Coveralls
Rubber boots
Steel toed work boots (CSA approved)
Safety glasses

There may be other necessary items (ie. cold weather attire) that may be required during your time at Olds College.

A copy of your valid driver’s license is necessary to operate Olds College equipment.

Information on required textbooks and any further supplies will be provided as you attend each class. All books and supplies will be available during the first few weeks of classes in the College Campus Store.

Other Important Information:

Time Requirements: This program is to be completed in two consecutive terms

Attendance Requirement: more details about “blended” delivery

Additional Skills: Basic computer skills are recommended for all and it is certainly beneficial to have some prior experience with computers before you arrive at the College. A familiarity and comfort in use of Google Docs, word processing, spreadsheet and e-mailing software will be a definite asset.