With Queensland agriculture producing one third of Australia’s food and contributing approximately $23.54 billion to the nation’s gross value of production (GVP), the sector is calling on young Australians to join its workforce.
Launched on Monday 24 October 2022, the Careers in Agriculture Magazine – an initiative of the Queensland Farmers’ Federation (QFF) and the Queensland Government in conjunction with the Rural Jobs and Skills Alliance (RJSA) – is a resource that raises awareness of agriculture and aquaculture careers, education, training and job opportunities for young people.
With the termination of agriculture’s itinerant worker program of international labour triggered by the pandemic, and the shrinking availability of domestic qualified labour, the QFF workforce planning and development team set out to identify and address current and emerging workforce issues in the agriculture sector through several consultations held around the state. The findings of this consultation process informed a strategic five-year strategy: The Queensland Agriculture Industry Workforce Plan 2022-2027.
The plan, developed by QFF in partnership with Jobs Queensland and in collaboration with RJSA, identified actions to assist the agriculture sector to be productive, innovative and profitable by investing in workforce development.
Jo Sheppard, QFF CEO, acknowledged that agricultural workforce demand continues to both grow and change, moving towards a more skilled and capable workforce aware of emerging market and technology developments revolutionising agricultural industries.
“We require new approaches to attract and retain skilled individuals across the sector to ensure its future survival and success”, explained Ms Sheppard.
“The Careers in Agriculture Magazine is a resource that aims to address two of the goals set out in the plan i.e., to attract a diverse and capable workforce, and to retain those individuals for the duration of their working lives.”
Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities Mark Furner welcomed the magazine as an important contribution to building the future agricultural workforce.
“The magazine is designed to be a resource that raises awareness of the many good jobs in agriculture and aquaculture,” Mr Furner said.
“The diversity on offer in an agricultural career is astounding and also opens the door to the great lifestyle there to be enjoyed across rural and regional Queensland.”
Ms Sheppard recognised that schools are critical for engaging prospective agriculture workforce entrants.
“Schools have an important role to play in preparing students for work and further study in agriculture,” said Ms Sheppard.
“Without a sound grounding in agriculture in secondary school, students, teachers and parents/carers are not able to make informed decisions about further education and career choices in agriculture.
“This resource provides them with real-life career stories from youth working at the forefront of the sector, as well as go-to information and career advice.”
The Careers in Agriculture Magazine is available from www.careerharvest.com.au/qff-careersinag
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Media Contact: Rebecca Donohoe 07 3837 4720 qfarmers@qff.org.au