Each year candidates are selected to participate in the CYL Development program. The online application process opens in November and the deadline for eligible candidates to apply is in late January. Semi-finalists are chosen to attend a round table discussion event where final candidates are selected. The CYL program admits young beef enthusiasts between the ages of 18-35 with a wide array of backgrounds in the beef industry.
Once selected the candidates are matched with a mentor by a mentor selection committee. The CYL youth are all at different stages of their careers and come from different backgrounds in the beef industry. Youth in the program may be interested in learning more about a potential career choice in the beef industry, becoming more knowledgeable and well connected in their current career or want to learn more about what it means to be an industry leader.
The CYL program offers two main categories of mentoring, a Professional Mentorshipor an Industry Leader Mentorship. The professional mentorship program gives candidates the opportunity to pair up with agriculture professionals to get a jump-start on the careers of their choice. The professional mentorship would bemost attractive to post-secondary students and those just starting their careers that have a keen interest in a beef-related profession.
The Industry Leader Mentorship is tailored to active beef producers who exhibit leadership potential and are interested in learning more about how to become involved in leadership roles such as sitting on a provincial or national beef board. The mentee’s personal goals and ideas for mentorship areas are taken into careful consideration when they are being matched with their mentors.
Once candidates are matched with their respective mentors the mentor/mentee journey begins. Through creation of an initial roadmap, the mentor and candidate set out the goals they wish to achieve during the program. Candidates are given a yearly budget of $2,000 to fund their participation in numerous industry events such as the ILC – CANADA (Calgary), the Beef Value Chain Roundtable (Ottawa & Calgary), the CCA Annual General Meeting (Ottawa), the CCA Semi-Annual Meeting (rotates through member provinces), related events and other opportunities in development.
Through attendance of industry events, meetings with their mentors and the completion of the Masters of Beef Advocacy Program the candidates build upon their knowledge base and become highly capable individuals to represent and lead the beef industry into the future.
The program benefits both parties involved by exposing a young person to elements of a potential career choice and being an extremely rewarding experience for the mentor perhaps even rewarding them with an employee down the road.
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