Fourteen trainee extension officers have successfully graduated from the Agriculture Extension Work Placement Program ready to begin their careers after a year working with various natural resource management and agricultural advisory groups assisting farmers to improve land management practices.
The Queensland Farmers’ Federation (QFF) partnered with the Queensland Government, the Australian Government, and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation’s Reef Trust Partnership to deliver the work placement program.
QFF CEO Dr Georgina Davis congratulated the graduates and their mentors on their achievements during recent virtual graduation ceremonies to mark their exciting accomplishments while complying with COVID-19 risk mitigations measures.
“The Agriculture Extension Work Placement Program has successfully increased land management extension capacity by fast tracking young people entering the sector through dedicated mentoring arrangements,” Dr Davis said.
“With most of the graduates continuing their extension roles with their host organisations or in organisations that deliver reef water quality and land conservation projects, we look forward to seeing them continue to develop their skills and practical experience to further support farmers and farm businesses into the future.”
“We appreciate the funding support for this well-developed program and hope to see it continue to secure more action on-ground to address the current shortfall of extension advisors in the agriculture sector across Queensland.”
Graduate Harry James said coming from an environmental background he began the program to upskill his knowledge and understanding of the agriculture industry.
“I can now confidently provide support and advice to landholders on many topics that were very new to me this time last year,” Mr James said.
“This means that landholders get better support to improve the water quality impacts from their land, my host organisation increases its capacity to partner with landholders, and I get a great launchpad for a career in extension.”
The Agriculture Extension Work Placement Program Graduates:
- Jefferson Allan – Plane Creek Productivity Services (Sarina)
- Jesse Bowman – Sugar Research Australia (Burdekin)
- David Clancy – Farmacist (Mackay)
- Simon Cristaudo – Canegrowers (Tully)
- Carleigh Drew – NQ Dry Tropics NRM group (Townsville)
- Angus Dunne – RCS (Yeppoon)
- Harry James – Cape York Natural Resource Management (Atherton)
- Katie Johnston – Mary River Catchment Coordinating Committee (Gympie)
- Tahlia Kinrade – Burdekin Productivity Services (Burdekin)
- Ellie McVeigh – Herbert Cane Productivity Services Ltd (Ingham)
- Mika Rowston – Farmacist (Burdekin)
- Hannah Russell – Sugar Research Australia (Bundaberg)
- Steven Wei – Agritech Solutions (Burdekin)
- Sarah Ziebarth – NQ Dry Tropics NRM group, Central Highlands Regional Resources Use Planning Cooperative and Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (Townsville)
To learn more about the graduates, visit: https://www.qff.org.au/projects/rural-jobs-skills-alliance/agriculture-extension-training/.
The Agricultural Extension Work Placement Program is delivered by the Rural Jobs and Skills Alliance (led by QFF) and funded by the Queensland Government’s Reef Water Quality Program and the partnership between the Australian Government’s Reef Trust and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation.