MY FUTURE Careers Newsletter

Resources

Kick-Start Your Farming Future with AgCAREERSTART

Agriculture is the world’s most important career. There are so many career paths to take in Agriculture: from animal husbandry, to developing and operating state-of-the-art machinery and technology, to business, marketing and STEM research and analysis; there have never been more opportunities to kick-start a life-long career in Agriculture.

 

With the global population predicted to reach 9 billion by 2050, the world is going to need a lot more people working in Agriculture.

 

In fact, there are currently 5 jobs available for every Agriculture graduate in Australia.

AgCAREERSTART is a 10–12 month program placing young Australians, aged 17-25, on farms across Australia. This program is unique in that it links farmers looking for workers with participants who are keen to start their career in agriculture. The AgCAREERSTART program offers participants a full-time paid job on farm, dedicated pastoral support, and a $4,500 Training and Engagement Bursary to upskill themselves throughout the program and attend industry conferences and events.

 

Participants come from a variety of backgrounds, some with previous agricultural experience, many without, but all are passionate about commencing or progressing their career in agriculture. Many participants have moved from metro areas to regional and remote farms and are thriving, with the feedback from 2023 Host Farmers being overwhelmingly positive.

 

This year, the program has placed 70 participants across Australia in a variety of industries from cattle to cotton, poultry to pork, fisheries, forestry, and everything in between. In 2024, the program will scale to offer 100 places nationally.

 

The AgCAREERSTART program is a federally funded initiative delivered by the National Farmers’ Federation.

 

Farmers Make the World go Round

If you’re 17-25, this unique gap-year program provides you with a paid job and training and development opportunities, not to mention the opportunity to build your networks within the agriculture industry. Applicants can indicate which farm type they’d prefer from a wide variety, and also where in Australia they would ideally like to work. A matching process is undertaken to ensure participants are assigned to the type of farms that match their interests and skills.

 

Applications for the 2024 intake open on August 14th and close on the October 15th, 2023. 

 

If you want a career in Agriculture, or are just looking to find out if it might be for you, this is the perfect opportunity for you to expand your skillset and get a foot in the door.

 

AgCAREERSTART provides you with so much more then a job, participants also get;

  • A full-time paid farm job with a passionate host farmer
  • A $4,500 Training and Engagement Bursary to upskill yourself
  • Funding to travel for industry events
  • A dedicated support team
  • A network of peers across the country.

There’s Always Room to Grow in Agriculture

AgCAREERSTART is a stepping-stone to kick-start your career in agriculture. On completion, you will have the confidence and skills to pursue further education or work in the industry. Participants receive support to develop their CVs for life after the program, as well as leveraging the National Farmers’ Federation network to find employment opportunities.

 

Our past cohorts have gone on to obtain further employment on their host farms, other farms, or even in corporate agricultural roles. Many have also chosen to undertake further training in Agriculture or Agribusiness. AgCAREERSTART Alumni also take advantage of unique travel and training opportunities, as well as professional development programs.

Spending 12 months on farm makes AgCAREERSTART Alumni highly competitive in the workplace, making the career pathway options endless.

 

Find out more

With applications opening soon, the best way to prepare yourself is to head to the website for more information or get in touch with the team.

Email: agcareerstart@nff.org.au

Visit: www.agcareerstart.com.au

Join the Academy for Enterprising Girls

The Academy for Enterprising Girls is a fun online eLearning campus designed to help students learn the innovation, design thinking, and tech skills to think like a Girl Boss and start their own business one day.

 

The Academy includes expert advice from some of Australia’s most inspiring business people, teaches resilience, the art of problem-solving and helps young women develop the confidence to bring their ideas to life.

 

Enterprising Girls is also about helping young Australian women develop the mindset and passion for entrepreneurial and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects, to help set them up for future success!

 

You can also check out the fantastic video series and articles to learn from some of Australia’s most amazing enterprising women and get a taste for what’s in the course, or dive right in with one of the mini-challenges on offer.

 

Find out more and join here: https://academy.enterprisinggirls.com.au/

Join the Australian School of Entrepreneurship

The Australian School of Entrepreneurship deliver life skills workshops and entrepreneurial education programs for young people aged 5 to 24 years who are interested in entrepreneurship, providing the chance to grow their skills and knowledge.

It’s free to join and as a member, you will have access to:

  • learning content made by young entrepreneurs
  • a private community of other like-minded youth.

There’s also:

  • a student start up program with resources for educators
  • YES (Young Entrepreneur Summit), a one-day, interactive summit designed to inspire and empower a generation of brave, creative and entrepreneurial young leaders with various dates around Australia for both high school and primary school students
  • workshops
  • festivals
  • challenges.

You don’t need a business idea to join – just a passion to create change in the world.

 

Find out more here: https://ase.edu.au/membership

YDAS Young Leaders Program

The Youth Disability Advocacy Service or YDAS runs the Young Leaders Program.

Why should I join?

  • Grow your leadership and advocacy skills.
  • Gain confidence working in a team.
  • Get ongoing opportunities, including jobs and volunteer roles.
  • It’s free!

Our free online leadership program is for young Victorians who identify as:

  • having a disability
  • having a health condition or chronic illness
  • neurodiverse or autistic
  • Deaf, deaf or hard of hearing
  • blind or vision impaired
  • having lived experience of mental health issues.

You can apply if you:

  • are aged between 14 – 19 or 20 – 25 years old and
  • live in Victoria and
  • identify as having a disability, health condition, chronic illness, being blind or vision impaired, being Deaf, neurodiverse and/or having lived experience of mental health issues.

We accept any and all types of disability. If you are not sure whether you are eligible, you can ask, but the answer is probably yes.

 

Applications close at 5pm 14 August 2023.

 

Find out more: https://www.yacvic.org.au/ydas/get-involved/youngleaders or if you have questions or want to apply over the phone, call or text Haley at 0476 287 414 or email youngleaders@ydas.org.au.