A new certificate program aimed at poultry professionals and students launched this fall through the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM). 

The creation of this certificate comes as the poultry industry has identified a gap in its workforce for trained poultry health professionals, especially in the areas of nutrition and biosafety. The 12-credit, graduate-level certificate in poultry health is part of a suite of education programs for the nation’s poultry industry and is the only certificate of its kind available in North America.

“This program is an example of the power of industry–academia collaboration, here with the focus on educating both the prospective and existing poultry workforce. We have listened to industry and developed a program that will aid in employee recruitment and retainment in rural America,” says Tim Johnson, PhD, professor in the CVM Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences.

The online program has flexible learning opportunities for professionals already in the poultry industry and for those looking to join it. It dives into important areas of poultry health, including health, nutrition, and biosafety. Course materials have been developed by leading poultry faculty with guidance from industry leaders.

Stakeholder discussions undertaken as part of the program’s development revealed that accessibility and adaptability were the two most important factors to potential students, according to Johnson. The certificate program is designed to accommodate working professionals with weekly deadlines and a completely online option. The first offering of this program occurred in Fall 2021, and applications are being accepted now for Fall 2022.