Background and Context
Cavendish Farms, “The Potato Specialists”, is a quality producer of frozen potato products; the corporation grows, processes and sells potato products throughout Canada, the United States, the Caribbean, Europe and Asia. Cavendish Farms has three North American production facilities: one in North Dakota, US and two in Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada. This case study concerns the introduction and development of a learning centre at the processing plants in New Annan, PEI. Customers of the plant include grocery stores, restaurant chains and well-known fast-food outlets.
Some 850 employees work at this New Annan facility. Approximately 150 are managers, staff and supervisors and the remainder are employees who are directly involved in the various departments which, together, yield the final product. These employees work in diverse areas including storage (80 million pounds of potatoes are stored on site), the farm shop, raw receiving, processing, packaging, shipping, quality assurance, maintenance, stores, and waste water treatment. The plants are highly automated so many of the jobs are concerned with routine processes. However, it is the commitment, knowledge and skills of the employees, which contribute to the process efficiency and improvement.
Prince Edward Island is the smallest of the Atlantic provinces on Canada’s east coast. Although it is known for its unspoiled beauty and agricultural industry, approximately half of the Island’s 130,000 residents are in urban centres. PEI is a small province with a competitive job market and Cavendish Farms is the Island’s largest private sector employer. As such, through its commitment to workplace literacy and life-long learning, it is enhancing the learning opportunities of the employees, their families and the larger community.
The learning centre
As an indication of its commitment to employee learning, Cavendish Farms opened a learning centre in 2003. It consists of a well-equipped classroom, with 10 computer stations, a library, whiteboards and associated educational resources. Importantly, it is staffed by a full-time licensed teacher. One of the initial tasks facing the teacher, Ellyn Lyle, is to undertake an individual assessment of the learner and his or her needs. She has developed a formal assessment tool which establishes baselines in self-perception, prior opinion of schooling, communication skills, vocabulary, reading comprehension, grammar usage and mechanics of writing, and mathematics. In her words though, it really comes down to the following:
“The learner and I have a chat. Well-phrased questions help me to determine where that learner currently is (baseline) and where he or she would like to be. Nothing to it – we build the bridge. It may take a few months, or it could take a few years. It’s really about commitment. Theirs to themselves, and mine to learn with each and every one of them as the individuals they are.”
The Learning Centre is open from 8:00 am – 4:00 pm Monday to Friday and typically some eight individuals will be present at any one time. The challenge for the instructor is to provide support, stimulation and facilitation for individuals to help them remain engaged with learning.
The Company has defined the Centre objectives as follows:
- improve literacy, numeracy, and critical thinking skills of employees at all levels,
- improve employees’ understanding of their contribution to the organisation,
- provide employees with the skills and competencies necessary to improve their workplace performance and to increase their opportunities for advancement,
- provide academic assistance to apprentices and others involved in training and education opportunities,
- increase employees’ morale and confidence.
Although the emphasis is on individual choice, a range of specific programmes are offered and marketed. Particularly popular courses are those that end with grade 12 English and math credits, General Educational Development (GED) diplomas, professional writing and continuing education (post-secondary facilitation) and those that enhance computer skills. As indicated by the chart below, there are also several other popular areas of study.
The Company covers the full costs of the Centre, supplying the teacher, resources and space. It has also introduced the following cost-sharing policy as an encouragement to individual learning - for every two hours spent in learning, the company pays the individual one hour’s regular wage. There is no limit to the number of hours an employee can commit to study. Cavendish Farm has invited family members of employees to participate in the Learning Centre as well. Although the cost-sharing incentive cannot apply, the materials are still covered and they attend at no personal cost.
What is exciting about the Centre, according to the instructor, Ellyn Lyle, is its proximity to the workplace - it is situated at the plant. This removes barriers and creates opportunities. As Ellyn Lyle puts it, “If I am discussing Pythagoras’ theorem, we can go out and look at the angle formed by the jib of a crane.”
The basis of participation
The following extract from a company publication outlines the basis on which the Centre operates:
- participation is completely voluntary,
- the environment must be based on confidentiality and respect,
- classes are scheduled at the learners’ convenience,
- each programme is based on the learner’s goals, for his/her satisfaction,
- the instructor is also a learner and engages the employees in the reciprocal nature of teaching and learning.
It can be seen that the emphasis at the Centre is on general education for the self-motivated learner. But as Ellyn Lyle stresses, this creates enhanced confidence, which leads to greater commitment and capability. As one 50 year old female learner states:
“Returning to school has been a real inspiration. The relaxed and friendly atmosphere makes us look forward to each new day of learning with confidence and renewed spirits.”
Initially, when the Centre was created in 2003, the intention was to proceed on a 12-week trial basis period; this has been extended repeatedly. The Centre is now an important feature of Cavendish Farms’ approach to skill development and, by December 31st, 2005, 190 of the 850 management, staff, and employees at the New Annan plants had requested and participated in learning at the Centre.