Cavendish Farms Learning Centre: Rising to the Challenge of Meeting Employees’ Unique Needs

This case study examines Cavendish Farms Learning Centre at the company’s frozen potato production facilities in New Annan, P.E.I. The centre provides employees with individualized instruction in a wide range of programs, including essential literacy and numeracy skills, General Educational Development (GED), and university preparation and facilitation.

The Learning Centre was conceived by employees and designed with their needs as paramount. It offers flexible training schedules to coexist with shift work, and targeted courses to accommodate each learner’s needs. Cavendish Farms not only covers the cost of staffing, classroom resources and day-to-day operational expenses, it also reimburses employees for 50 per cent of their time spent studying. In addition to developing skills, the Learning Centre develops positive employee attitudes and behaviours such as self-confidence and mutual respect. This learning experience results in many positive impacts and benefits for both the employees and the company.