In a first for the Riverina and most probably in New South Wales, a close association has developed between agribusiness in the Riverina and secondary schools teaching agriculture.
The association is based on a common purpose, the availability of a suitably trained workforce to meet the large and growing demand for employment across the wide and diverse range of jobs available to students in the agricultural sector.
There has always been a link between agribusiness and careers available in the agriculture, fisheries, food and wine sectors. This was highlighted during the early Covid period as business found it very difficult to attract a workforce at the production, harvesting and processing levels. Agriculture, like most of the sectors experience severe shortages of inputs, such as fuel, fertilizer and chemicals due to a global shortage of labour.
The Riverina Compendium provided a vehicle to build on the past experiences, to attract a suitably qualified workforce, to provide a greater number and diversity of jobs within the Region and to lift the profile of agriculture in a very positive way.
The first edition of the Compendium lists 46 companies who are interested in accepting high school students for work experience and longer term employment. They are also prepared to contribute to the Agriculture and Primary Industries curricula where they are able to.
Businesses who attended the launch of the Compendium project in December 2023 identified a number of activities that they considered to be of mutual benefit to students and their own businesses. The first one was a visit to Yanco Agricultural High School to gain a good understanding of the content of the agricultural curriculum and facilities at Yanco. There was a clear interest is assisting schools teaching agriculture to align as far as possible the content of the subjects being taught with the workforce needs of the business sector.
The second activity planned for term 2 this year is a similar visit to Wagga Wagga to better understand the courses being offered through the Primary Industries Centre and Charles Sturt University and how their facilities can be best used to support agribusiness.
During the businesses visit to Yanco on the 14 March, they will have the opportunity to support a Careers Workshop for Year 10 students. This is the second time this workshop has been held with experienced Yanco alumni and regional business representatives contributing.
Yanco Ag alumni, in conjunction with teachers at Yanco, agribusiness in the region and support services have produced the Riverina Compendium. Funds raised from alumni, via the YAHS Old Yanconians’ Foundation were matched by the Primary Industries Education Foundation (PIEFA), providing funds to create the Compendium.
It is now live and can be accessed at yanconiansriverina.ptly.com/compendium.
The Riverina Compendium provides information for secondary school students who have an interest in an agricultural career. This includes students at speciality agricultural high schools like Yanco Ag, as well as those schools through the Riverina, teaching Agriculture or Primary Industry subjects.
The Compendium assists secondary students, interested in an agricultural career, in identifiying work experience and employment opportunities within agribusinesses in the Riverina. It also provides information on career pathways into vocational and university training.
It is a major new initiative, aimed at providing relevant and current information on work experience and employment opportunities throughout the region.
Directly engaging the agribusiness sector adds a dimension not previously available to schools. Major agribusinesses have provided information on their willingness to accept students for work experience. Some will have a longer-term interest in employing students when they leave school.
There are currently around 45 businesses listed and the numbers are expected to increase over time.
Career pathways – vocational: The concept of flexible industry pathways to employment maps out a student’s journey through secondary school to employment. Each pathway provides an industry-endorsed conduit to employment; better preparing young people for real-world jobs and providing a pipeline of young, skilled workers for employment. VET courses are already offered in some secondary schools as part of flexible career pathways into post-secondary training options or direct employment. There are two main streams for VET training post-secondary school; courses provided by TAFE and those offered by private training providers who are Registered Training Organisations. Information is provided in this Compendium on the courses offered by training providers and where/how they can be accessed, within the Riverina. Some require attendance at a specific location while others are available online.
Career pathways – university: This section of the Compendium identifies options for students undertaking university studies that can lead to a range of employment opportunities in areas such as agricultural research, advisory, regulatory or policy within a government agency or the private sector. Information is provided for courses in veterinary science, marine sciences and a range of food industry opportunities. While the term agriculture is used throughout, it covers the range of primary industries. Course information is provided for around 20 universities that might be considered by students in following their preferred career pathway.
Further development of the Compendium: The OYU, Foundation and Yanco Ag are currently considering plans, not only to maintain the currency of content, but to expand available information to assist further students select a career pathway.
This article appeared in the Narrandera Argus, 14 March 2024.
