Kathryn Fleay with Simon Parker from Newcastle University in the UK, during her Nuffield Scholarship travel overseas.
Nuffield scholar Kathryn Fleay sharing agronomy information with growers in the Western Australian wheatbelt.
As Australia’s agriculture industry continues to struggle with labour shortages, universities in other countries better prepare their students to work in agriculture.
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That’s the finding contained in Kathryn Fleay’s Nuffield Scholarship report.
Kathryn, an agronomy and operations manager from Western Australia’s wheatbelt, researched how Australia could shore up its agricultural workforce, particularly through university degrees with strong ties to the industry.
Supported by CSBP Fertilisers, Kathryn travelled to the United States, Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom, France and the Netherlands to explore how Australia could better foster agricultural futures by empowering young people from non-agricultural backgrounds to pursue careers in the industry.
“Young people will play a pivotal role in driving innovation, sustainability, food security, and addressing the changing dynamics of the agricultural workforce,” Kathryn said.
“That’s why it’s so important that we nurture their participation and experiences in agriculture.”
Kathryn found that agriculture and agri-food degrees in the countries she visited better prepared students to work in the rapidly changing industries.
“Driven by advancements in technology and the increasing pressures of environmental and societal demands, professionals in these sectors require new skills to adapt and thrive,” she said.
On the other hand, Kathryn reports that the number of agricultural university graduates in Australia has stagnated, while job opportunities in the sector continue to outpace graduate supply.
“Attracting and retaining skilled individuals in agriculture must be a top priority.”
She said industry should work with higher education institutions to provide opportunities for students to gain real world experiences through work placements, internships and graduate programs.
“These experiences lead to increased confidence, maturity and problem-solving skills.”
Her report emphasises the need to champion diversity, welcoming young people from diverse backgrounds into the agricultural sector to inject fresh perspectives and ideas.
“I saw some great examples overseas of programs and individual efforts to dispel misconceptions and stereotypes surrounding careers in agriculture.
“Collaborative efforts involving educational institutions, industry stakeholders, consumers and students are instrumental in creating environments that foster the success of young people in agriculture.”
Kathryn learned about internships where young professionals gain work in roles they may not have once considered, which are helping to bring people with passions as diverse as information technology and biology into the agricultural workforce.
“Being exposed to these opportunities while still studying is allowing a diverse pool of graduates into agricultural roles. This was evident in many universities and colleges throughout Canada, US, Europe and the UK.”
For more on Kathryn’s research findings, see her presentation from last year’s Nuffield National Conference at www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpfhCxLRMu4
Kathryn Fleay with Farming Smarter staff in Lethbridge, Alberta.
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