KINGSTON, Jamaica – Moneague College in St Ann has launched three short courses in agro-processing to complement its Associate of Applied Science Degree in Climate Smart Agro-Processing.

The courses are Basic Concepts of Greening, Food Safety and Quality Management, and Introduction to Food Processing Practices.

The associate degree programme was developed in collaboration with the Council of Community Colleges of Jamaica (CCCJ), Colleges and Institutes of Canada (CiCan), and Niagara College.

Speaking during Wednesday’s virtual launch, Dean of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Technology at Moneague College, Desmond Campbell, said that companies in the food processing industry have already expressed interest in enrolling their staff who are uncertified and those who need to be upskilled.

He said the programme will commence on October 9, with the cost per course being $10,000. However, if the three courses are being pursued at once, a discounted cost of $25,000 is offered.

Campbell added that on completion, successful candidates will be issued a certificate endorsed by Niagara College.

Niagara College Curriculum Expert for the Skills to Access the Green Economy Programme (SAGE), Maureen Souply, noted that the courses are designed to introduce participants to various aspects of agro-processing.

“The students will be engaging in 24 hours of asynchronous content online, meaning that there is content in the course that they click through at their own pace. The instructor is available via email or on the platform in a discussion board to answer questions. We’ll also have a guest lecturer from Niagara College for each of the courses and then there is a six-hour in-person component, which is more of a hands-on competency-based approach to make it 30 hours in total for each of the short courses,” she detailed.

Meanwhile, Moneague College Board Chairman, Professor John Lindo, commended the institution for the strides it has made in making education more accessible.

“We are moving more and more away from the traditional ways of universities and colleges not being agile in how we offer programmes. Short courses of this nature are just a part of the menu for us to respond to the needs of our communities and, of course, what better way than in agro-processing as a sustainable method of income generation and ensuring food security which is so important to us,” Professor Lindo said.

For further information, visit https://moneaguecollege.edu.jm/.

– JIS