Educating Thailand’s future farm professionals
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Over the past year, CNH has made great strides in its long-standing commitment to help educate the next generation of agriculture engineers, operators and farmers in Thailand’s agriculture sector
The vocational training program is a joint effort to help bridge a gap that exists between what is taught at school and what is needed at the workplace
At CNH Thailand, we are continuing to expand collaborations with leading academic institutions, providing them with more resources and equipment for vocational training and skills development. Our technicians and engineers are offering more workshops to students across the country and we have increased the number of internships we support and scholarships we finance.
These projects strengthen the country’s education system by adding practical know-how and experience. They open up opportunities to talented students, improve farm output by introducing cutting-edge technology and help secure a future supply of skilled labor.
Thailand is home to the Company’s South East Asia regional headquarters, as well as two hundred employees.
The vocational training program is “a joint effort to help bridge a gap that exists between what is taught at school and what is needed at the workplace,” says Waraporn Jongjit, CNH’s regional head of human resources. “It’s a win-win situation for all — students, universities and businesses.”
Product training at Model Farm.
Having those options means customers and dealers can tailor that equipment precisely to their needs
Next generation
Part of that effort is to make the next generation aware of and excited about an industry that aims to feed the world in the most sustainable and efficient way possible.
There was plenty of excitement when over ten thousand high-school students marveled at equipment and technology from CNH’s brands on display at King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology (KMITL) in Bangkok during the annual K-Engineering World Tour in October 2024.
The open house sparked interest among students, many of whom saw large, state-of-the-art farm equipment for the first time. It also generated brand recognition in a market where CNH is eager to grow further.
CNH Thailand has been collaborating with KMITL since 2017, donating equipment and running workshops on topics from sugarcane cultivation to hydraulic fault diagnostics. In August 2024, five recent agricultural engineering graduates completed a 18-month training program during which they participated in fundamental training and rotated among half a dozen departments. CNH and KMITL have since agreed to expand the partnership to agricultural research and development.
CNH also extended its cooperation with Pakdee College of Commerce and Technology in Kamphaeng Phet, some 350 kilometers (220 miles) north of the country’s capital. Ten interns will be participating in the CNH internship program from July 2024 to March 2025.
The interns spend part of their time accompanying CNH technicians in the field, gathering valuable insights that they can later apply in maintenance or repair tasks. As with the other programs, the initiative includes equipment donations and technical instruction to provide young professionals with future-ready skills and knowledge.
Students at the New Holland stand at the K-Engineering event.
Smart farming
Another recent CNH initiative is the memorandum of understanding signed in October 2024 with the Mitr Phol group and agriculture authorities in Sing Buri. Mitr Phol is the largest sugar producer in Thailand, and CNH is the largest sugarcane harvester manufacturer in the region. Together they plan to bring ‘smart farming’ practices to local farmers working in sugarcane plantations over a period of three years.
This project builds on an existing cooperation with Khon Kaen Higher College of Agricultural Technology and Mitr Phol in which CNH has donated a Case IH Austoft 4000 sugarcane harvester. The Company has also committed to establishing a Case IH Training Center at the school to strengthen hands-on training in modern farm machinery and technology.
Testimony to the benefits of all these programs is that several talented graduates have found jobs at CNH. “Some of the best have joined us and they are progressing very quickly through the Company,” says Mark Brinn, CNH’s Managing Director for Southeast Asia and Japan.
For example, Thuchawin Tongsawangjang is one of five KMITL alumni now working at CNH. Following an extensive training program involving the T7 heavy duty tractor at New Holland Agriculture’s Basildon plant in the UK, he went to Hokkaido (Japan) to assist the CNH Joint Venture in the Pre Delivery Inspection of machines for the Japanese market. He flew home to join the CNH team in Thailand with accolades for his enthusiasm and experience.
CNH receives a Commemorative Pin from Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn at FFT’s 44th National Academic Conference.
We’re shaping the farmer of tomorrow
Model farm
At Nakhon Sawan College of Agriculture and Technology (NSCAT) in central Thailand, CNH is involved in another exciting project, helping to transform 45 hectares of arable land into a model farm, providing know-how, research and technology, as well as hands-on machinery training.
For many students and local farmers the model farm not only offers their first exposure to modern agricultural machines and precision farming technologies, but also experience of safe and professional best practices.
“We’re shaping the farmer of tomorrow. They’ll be wearing safety shoes and reflective clothing and learning how to handle chemicals and fertilizers properly,” says Allan Green, project manager at CNH.
CNH’s efforts haven’t gone unnoticed. In 2023, the Company received the Best Contribution to Thailand’s Education Award for its commitment to empowering educational institutions and underserved communities.
CNH is a world-class equipment, technology and services company that sustainably advances the noble work of agriculture and construction workers.
CNH Industrial N.V.
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