One thousand five hundred NSW students are currently exploring what the future of the agriculture industry will look like. Photo: William_Potter.
Charles Sturt University and TAFE NSW have agreed to partner with the NSW Government to help train over 1500 students on the use of agriculture-related technology.
The program offers high school students an opportunity to visit the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development research institutes, while also participating in hands-on learning at TAFE NSW where they design model smart farms, use drone mapping, and learn to use data and artificial intelligence to analyse weather patterns.
As part of the initiative, students visited one of the country’s larger AgTech events, AgVision Yanco on 11 September, which gave students in the Riverina-Murray the opportunity to engage in workshops with industry professionals and learn specific agriculture skills.
Industry partners will coach and mentor student teams to harness their design thinking and entrepreneurial skills to develop new innovations for agriculture at the AgTech Innovation Summit on 24 September at the University of New England SMART Farm.
Minister for Regional NSW Tara Moriarty said the NSW Government was committed to supporting the growth of the AgTech sector as part of its efforts to build a highly skilled workforce to drive innovation and efficiency in the state’s critical agriculture industry.
“Agriculture is an ‘engine room’ industry in NSW. Farmers across the state produce more than $17 billion worth of food and fibre every year. Agricultural technology, ‘AgTech’, is vital to the ongoing success of the agricultural industry for our state,” she said.
“AgTech is transforming the agriculture industry across the globe and it’s essential that NSW has the relevant skills to ensure we remain a world leader in the field.
“Developing a workforce of the future is critical to solving talent gaps for employers and creating opportunities for individuals seeking to enter the industry.”
Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education Steve Whan said that in NSW, the agriculture industry was a strong contributor to the economy and played an integral role in the prosperity of regional communities.
“This ground-breaking collaboration between government and industry across secondary schools, VET and higher education highlights the shared responsibility in influencing young people’s career choices to meet industry needs and provide exciting job opportunities accessible through a range of pathways,” he said.
“By developing a highly skilled workforce, NSW AgTech companies can become more internationally competitive and continue to provide regional employment opportunities.”
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