Spark Day  

Some students from Knox Community College participated in Advance’s Spark Day hosted at Hydro-Gardens of Jamaica. The students set off on the trip to learn about modern technologies in agriculture and the use of local raw products in the exciting field of agro-processing.   

 Hopeton Singh, owner of Hydro-Gardens of Jamaica, welcomed these future players in the agro-processing sector to his greenhouses to share knowledge on their operations and the techniques he uses to grow and cultivate his tomatoes. These students, who are pursuing an associate degree in Agro-processing and Business Management, could connect what they are learning in the classroom with what Singh did in the greenhouse.   

Greenhouses are hot; however, this did not stop the students from enjoying the tour. Students commented “I am happy I got to visit” and “I was not disappointed”.  

 Advance includes Spark Days as experiential learning opportunities for students. Advance collaborates with the private sector and higher education partners to expose students and faculty to industry trends and best practices, as well as the day-to-day operations of a company.   

Advance is a workforce development program that partners with select tertiary institutions to provide market-relevant training to disadvantaged youth for new or better employment opportunities.