General News
31 December, 2023
21st Century Careers in Agriculture highlights
A HIGHLIGHT of 2023 has been the 21st Century Careers in Agriculture program funded through the Sustainable Schools Agriculture Fund and facilitated by the North Central LLEN. This project has seen a range of events and activities take place across...
A HIGHLIGHT of 2023 has been the 21st Century Careers in Agriculture program funded through the Sustainable Schools Agriculture Fund and facilitated by the North Central LLEN.
This project has seen a range of events and activities take place across the region including a range of partnerships to promote the diversity of career pathways in agriculture, now and into the future.
One of these partnerships was with the Birchip Cropping Group to support 130 students from across the north-central region to attend the Main Field Day in September.
Students from East Loddon P-12 College, Pyramid Hill Secondary College and Boort District School were able to attend the event to learn more about agriculture, and engage with farmers, researchers and agribusiness professionals to discover the diverse range of agricultural career pathways.
Project Officer, Sue Gould said it was really exciting to see young people at the Main Field Day and join farmers and researchers to learn more about the cutting-edge Field Trials undertaken by BCG.
“Students were divided across the three Trial Groups and joined other Field Day attendees as they traversed the site and listened to BCG staff and agricultural researchers share knowledge about what is happening in the agriculture sector at the moment, followed by a panel of speakers sharing their career pathways.”
“Students also participated in a Treasure Hunt across the Field Day site and competitions to guess the tonnes of lentils on a B-Double Truck, Sheep in a Truck ready to transport to market, and a competition to research the vast variety of careers on display at the Field Day,” she said. National Agriculture Day in November was the focus of a partnership with the North Central Trade Training Centre where students completing a Certificate II in agriculture met with James Goldsmith from Goldies Farms Eggs near Donald and Tahlijia Sheahan from Teys Feedlot in Charlton to discuss this year’s theme of Why Ag. North Central LLEN also partnered with Agri-Tech Education and Innovation (CQ University) to support Year 9 and 10 students from East Loddon P-12 College to grow awareness of technology in agricultural careers as part of Cultivating Futures: Engaging Secondary School Students in the World of Agricultural Careers. One of the most exciting partnerships has been with Nutrien Ag to showcase the variety of ways students can pursue a career in agriculture with a Year 11 student from each of the nine north central schools awarded a scholarship for one or more of the following:
High level of achievement in VCE Chemistry or Biology
High level of achievement in VCE Business subject (Accounting or Business Management)
High level of achievement in VCE Agriculture
High level of achievement in VET Agriculture
Exceptional engagement in another subject that has chosen an agricultural focus, eg. VCE or VET -Technology, Engineering, Geography, Food Studies, Animal Studies.
Also to be considered were part-time agriculture employment (preferably not their family farm), volunteering at agricultural events – eg. agricultural shows, Landcare, promotion of agriculture in the community or at school, and/or demonstration of leadership, citizenship and social consciousness.
In addition to a monetary award of $150, a large benefit of the scholarship program is the alumni component where students will come together and be supported by Nutrien Ag as they pursue their career pathway.
An inaugural day at the end of January will bring together the scholarship recipients, Nutrien Ag staff, and farming professionals for a tour of local agriculture sites and businesses hosted by Nutrien Ag.