Young school leavers have been helping keep the agriculture supply chain afloat through a national agriculture gap year program as Australia grapples with a national labour shortage.
The success of the first year of National Farmers Federation’s (NFF) AgCAREERSTART saw more than 300 people apply to the program to be placed with farmers across the country across multiple industries including grains, livestock, horticulture and dairy.
NFF is once again on the hunt for the next generation of agriculture leaders to apply for the AgCAREERSTART 12-month gap year program.
NFF chief executive Tony Mahar said the program had seen school leavers learn new skills while assisting farmers fill critical labour gaps.
“The impact of Australia’s current labour shortage is already being felt by farmers across the country, with an estimated $22 million in crop losses having already been reported,” Mr Mahar said.
“The AgCAREERSTART program is a new way of building a skilled workforce to complement the in-demand skills farmers need and to help innovate industry practices.
“The partnerships forged in round one of AgCAREERSTART have been a huge success for farmers and students alike, with students learning about farm data capture and mapping and operating state-of-the-art machinery.
“Many of the participants are moving out of home for the first time and learning essential life skills such as cooking, communication and problem-solving skills, as well as undertaking training that will help in their future careers such as obtaining a first aid certificate, truck licence or forklift ticket.”
AgCAREERSTART participants are employed under award wages on qualified farms for up to 12 months.
Participants receive safety training and relocation assistance and have the opportunity to join the farm after their completion of the program.
Applications for both farmer hosts and participants are now open.
For more information and to register, visit www.agcareerstart.com.au
