Grow the Professional - Building Skills for CEA Innovation via Knowledge Transfer
Session description:
As the Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) sector moves toward greater automation and scale, the limiting factor is no longer just technology, but the availability of a skilled workforce to manage it. This session explores how we can professionalize the industry by bridging the gap between traditional horticulture and high-tech engineering. Drawing on the success of international initiatives like the PONICS VET (Hydroponic Technician) program, our panelists will discuss how structured knowledge transfer and vocational training can create a resilient pipeline of talent. We move beyond theoretical education to look at practical frameworks— FarmTech Society developed with partners like FESTO—that turn innovation into a teachable, scalable profession.
Key Discussion Themes:
What are the core competencies of a "CEA Technician" and how do we achieve cross-border recognition for these roles?
How technology providers like FESTO and educational frameworks like PONICS VET are creating the blueprints for modern vocational training.
Identifying the most common skills gaps found on-site today and how "on-the-job" training can be structured for maximum efficiency.
The role of regional authorities and Chambers of Commerce in supporting specialized workforce development to drive regional competitiveness.
Strategies for continuous learning as the sector shifts toward digital and data-driven operations.
Session objectives:
Showcase Proven Models: Highlight the PONICS VET project as a viable blueprint for international workforce training.
Align Stakeholders: Create a dialogue between educational providers, growers, and labor market policy-makers to ensure training meets commercial needs.
Drive Professionalization: Support the FTS mission of establishing validated workforce profiles and recognized standards for the global CEA sector.
Speakers
Professor of Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) specializing in vertical farming, indoor agriculture, and climate-smart food systems. His work advances food security by integrating plant physiology, environmental sustainability, and agri-tech innovation. With over 15 years of experience across academia and industry, Prof Gauthier advises corporations, investors, universities, and growers on vertical farming strategies, indoor production systems, and AgTech development, translating plant science into scalable, real-world solutions. He serves on boards of Asia-Pacific agribusiness and AgTech organizations and have held leadership roles across academia, startups, and large research initiatives, collaborating with industry and public partners to design high-efficiency, resilient agricultural systems. A Professor, keynote speaker, consultant, and published researcher, Prof Gauthier holds a Ph.D. in Plant Physiology and Horticulture, with additional training in Business Management and Marketing, and have served as faculty at Princeton University, UC Davis, and Penn State. His mission is to accelerate innovation in climate-smart agriculture and global food security by connecting science, education, and industry.
For me - it's all about agriculture.
As business developer for www.festo.com I scout for AgTech topics, startups and business to bring more smart technology into a sector we all heavily depend on.
At our family farm, we produce and market organic, regional and seasonal vegetables: www.heidehoefe.de und www.kartoffel-post.de
