Narrandera locals are future-proofing their careers by upskilling in priority industries with TAFE NSW, including in the booming agriculture industry. 

Corobimilla woman Eliza Armida was inspired to enter an agriculture traineeship after developing an interest during agriculture studies in high school at Narrandera. She enrolled in a Certificate III in Agriculture through TAFE NSW Leeton and is working as a farmhand at a livestock and cropping property at Morundah. 

“Every day is different when you work in agriculture and I just love it,” Ms Armida said. 

“TAFE NSW has made such a huge difference to my understanding of how the industry works. The teachers are all so experienced and the course is really practical.” 

Women now make up about a third of the nation’s agriculture workforce and National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) outgoing president Fiona Simson, the first female president in the organisation’s 40-year history, said the NFF’s goal was to double the number of women in agriculture’s leadership ranks by 2030, adding TAFE NSW was an important pathway for aspiring ag professionals. 

TAFE NSW Chief Delivery Officer Janet Schorer said TAFE NSW was committed to delivering a pipeline of skilled workers to meet the growing demand in the Cootamundra electorate. 

“Eliza is an example of the high-quality students TAFE NSW is training to meet skills demand now and into the future. 

“Over the next 10 years, more than nine out of 10 new jobs will require post-secondary qualifications. TAFE NSW is crucial not only for the future of the Cootamundra regional economy but also for providing people with skills for current and future job markets. 

“Semester 2 is about to start, making it the perfect time to explore the range of courses at your local TAFE NSW campus. Whether you prefer online, face-to-face, or teacher-led virtual classrooms, we have study options to suit your needs,” Ms Schorer said.

This article appeared in the Narrandera Argus, 4 July 2024.