In this episode of the Germination Podcast, Mira van Burck and Madison Spyk of SeCan talk about the experience of being 20-somethings in the seed industry and how other young people entering the workforce can be successful in their organization.
Mira, 27, is marketing rep for southern Alberta and southern Saskatchewan for SeCan, which is Canada’s largest certified seed supplier. She talks about growing up on a farm in Star City and how a post-graduation travel excursion to Thailand led to doing a job interview with the company. She also talks about how many members of Generation Y — the Millennial generation — can be afraid to pick up the phone now that texting and email have become primary modes of communication. Mira says getting over that fear is essential to growing in your career.
Madison, 25, is marketing assistant Ontario for SeCan, and tells us about how she got into the seed business despite not growing up on a farm. Her advice as the youngest SeCan employee is to ask questions and not be afraid to immerse yourself in the industry even if you don’t come from an agricultural background.
This episode is the first of a series profiling young seed industry members. We will profile bright young minds from the sponsors who support this year’s Canadian Plant Breeding Innovation Scholarship program.
The CPBI program also is giving out four scholarships this year — two in Western Canada and two in the East. The recipients are:
- Stanley Adobor, University of Saskatchewan
- Jennifer Lin, McGill University
- Deus Mugabe, University of Guelph
- Marla Roth, University of Alberta
Listen to this week’s podcast below!
