News
Agricultural leadership program opens applications for new intake

The Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program (AALP) is now accepting applications for Class 19.

During the 18-month executive program, 30 individuals will embark on a personal leadership journey to realize their potential, while exploring the agri-food sector from the local to the international level.

Each AALP Class is chosen with attention to creating a team that can provide peer-to-peer mentorship, diverse viewpoints and a broad network.

“It’s exciting and affirming to see the high caliber of talent that applies,” says Gabe Ferguson, Leadership Programs Director. “With their experience of a world pandemic this past year, I’m anticipating a keen group of leaders ready to share new ideas.”

The chosen participants will come together for seven in-person seminars, five online webinars and two study tours. Class members will learn about government and political systems, marketing and economics, national and international trade, communication and organization skills, self-awareness and interrelationships, negotiation and decision making, consumers and social license, media relations, agri-food trends, globalization and the dynamics of change, applied to Ontario and globally through North American and international components.

“AALP has helped me obtain my original goal of personal and career development as well as opening the door to leadership opportunities that I hadn’t considered prior to my involvement in AALP. While not all of these leadership goals have been achieved to date they are goals that I hadn’t considered a possibility prior to becoming involved with the AALP program and mentorship of those around me,” says Erica Murray, AALP Alumnus Class 17.

AALP is delivered by the Rural Ontario Institute (ROI). Established in 1984, the Advanced Leadership Program has graduated more than 480 leaders who are making a positive impact across Ontario and beyond, leading in over 33 agri-food value chain organizations and businesses.

Last year, Class 18 was prolonged into 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions.

For more information on how to apply visit https://www.ruralontarioinstitute.ca/aalp

The deadline for Class 19 applications is May 26.