b'PARTNER CONTENTGrowing Together: Mentoring the Next Generation of Seed AnalystsBy: Elisha Havanka, accredited germination analyst at Seed Check.W hen I first joined Seed Check in 2017, I had no idea what germination analysis was all about. I came in without a background in seed testing, and like most people in the field, I learned by doingsitting beside experienced analysts, asking a million questions, and slowly absorbing the knowledge that could only come from hands-on experience.After several years of learning, I became an accredited germi-nation analyst in 2022. Now, I get the privilege of mentoring new team members, sharing everything Ive picked up over the years.This year has been particularly exciting because, for the first time in a long time, weve had several new faces join the lab. Weve got Jake, whos training to become a seed analyst, Finn, whos full of energy and curiosity, and my 15-year-old daughter, Lexi, whos helping out part-time as a lab assistant.With Time, Comes KnowledgeMentoring the new staff has made me reflect on my own seed testing journey. Germination testing is part science, part art. Sure, we follow strict protocols, but a lot of the work involves intuition, critical thinking and good old-fashioned detective work.While many aspects of the job are covered in the training manu-als, there are certain things that come second nature over time and are better learned through hands-on experience. They include: Recognizing unusual damage types: Understanding subtle differences between mechanical, chemical or fungal damage takes time and hands-on experience.Understanding environmental factors: Weather, soil conditionsElisha Havankas 15-year-old daughter, Lexi, whos helping out part-time and harvest times all play a huge role in seed quality, and itsas a lab assistant.something you really start to grasp over time.Critical thinking when tests dont match expectations:Patterns in seed growth: Recognizing trends that can help Troubleshooting unexpected results involves more than justpredict outcomessomething you only start to notice after following instructionsits about thinking through the whyhandling thousands of samples.behind the data. Mentorship is as much about creating confidence as it is about Seed handling techniques: How you handle, store, and test thepassing on knowledge. Our work might be rooted in science, but seeds can make all the difference in the results. the real magic comes from people in the doingand now, with Dealing with dormancy issues: Knowing how to approachfresh faces breathing life into the lab, were reminded that every seeds that may need more time or conditions outside of thequestion is an opportunity to discover something new.norm.JANUARY 2025 SEEDWORLD.COM/CANADA 31'