Syrian refugee tour to P.E.I. farms translates into new workers

A refugee and newcomer field trip to someIsland farms last month is paying off several refugees are now working on farms and they've been spreading the word about the experience.

'"The people who went on the tour spread the word out to their friends and to their family and we get more interest as a result," said DandanWang,an employment councilor with the P.E.I. Association for Newcomers.

The field day was organized by the P.E.I. Federation of Agriculture, the P.E.I. Agriculture Sector Council, and the P.E.I.Association for Newcomers to Canada.

The goal was to show them about Island agriculture and job opportunities.

Wang said some newcomers are nowworking ondairy farms, strawberry operations and at VancoFarms.

Filling a worker shortage

The hope is that the refugees and other newcomers will help fill a shortage of workers in the industry, said Laurie Loane, the executive director of the P.E.I. Agriculture Sector Council.

"Right now from the actual tour, we have eight people that are now working on farms or have expressed an interest in working on farms and we have been able to help them place or find jobs," said Loane.

"On top of that, we have probably close to 40 other people as a spinoff of that tour that are now also working in agriculture here on the Island."

Loanenotedthe farmers love working with newcomers, and it often leads to whole families coming to work together on the same farm.

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