One of the downsides, perhaps the only downside, of living in Tasmania is that too often you hear about young people who have to move interstate for jobs, job training or further education and they fragment the families in which they grew up.
This week we at the TFGA may have sown the first seeds of a program that may help to stem the ebbing tide of our young people. We unveiled an agriculture industry skills plan that aims to position our industry to provide the specialist training we need for all aspects of 21st century farming and agribusinesses.
Working with Skills Tasmania, we have devised a program to address our projected labour supply and skills shortages, on the farm and in the agricultural businesses upon which we depend and which depend on us.
You may not have noticed it, but Tasmanian agriculture is in transition. It is having a makeover. We are younger and we are smarter and we use technology. No longer do we do it the old way because that was always good enough and it worked. Today we have to be lean, quick and efficient and we have to be smarter than our competitors.
Modern Tasmanian farmers do not try to do everything themselves – there are simply not enough hours in the day. They use specialists; they contract out; they make the best use of their own time; they make the best use of their resources; and they research before they decide on a course of action. Nothing is left to chance and, with our new era of irrigation, they even try to take the weather and the climate out of the equation.
As a result, a career in the modern agriculture sector offers a diverse range of opportunities.
The agriculture operations sector is primarily involved in growing things including the food we eat, fibre for the clothes we wear, and the plants and flowers that provide so much pleasure in our gardens. You might start here as a farm hand and work your way up to running your own business providing produce to top city restaurants. You might oversee packhouse operations or work as an agronomist. You might work in the nursery and garden sector, and be involved in garden design and maintenance; tree care; or parks and gardens.
The agriculture services sector provides the services that enable the production sector to operate at maximum efficiency and continually improve their performance. Occupations in this sector are very diverse and include areas such as: marketing; packaging; value added processes; scientific research; extension activities; mechanics and building; logistics; and transport and distribution.
New career paths are also opening up in working in the environment sector, too: land management and conservation; climate change; irrigation and water management; and biosecurity to name just a few.
Or you might be more interested in a wider view through areas such as industry representation and policy development; journalism and media; consulting and analysis; teaching; or a myriad of roles in government agencies.
As well as all these possibilities, there is strong demand for a full range of general business skills: business planning; financial management; human resources; OHSE; quality assurance programs; customer service; administration etc.
There can now be no argument: agriculture will continue to be one of Tasmania’s key economic drivers as sure as night follows day. Other industries may rise and fall in their impact and their attraction, but producing food in one of the best climates on earth will always be needed and will always require highly skilled labour and professional advice.
Our place in the business of feeding the world will become crucial in the years ahead because of the natural advantages we enjoy and because of the skills we develop to make the most of those natural advantages.
Agriculture attracts a diverse range of people, from school leavers to those seeking a sea change or a way to make a contribution to the community. Our diversity makes us interesting and it makes us attractive to more newcomers, more innovators.
Working in agriculture offers tangible results and immediate satisfaction. It can provide a perfect opportunity to see something that you’ve created, every day. You can contribute to improving quality of life for all Australians, through producing clean, green and fabulous food and fibre products. And you can make a real difference.
That’s what our Skills Plan is designed to promote – and we’ll be working with other industry groups over the coming months to deliver on this promise.
• SENATOR THE HON RICHARD COLBECK
Liberal Senator for Tasmania
JEREMY ROCKLIFF MHA
State Liberals Deputy Leader
JOINT MEDIA RELEASE
24 February 2012
Skilling the Food Bowl starts at the grassroots
Australia must do better in skilling its food bowl regions if we want a bright future for our agrifoods industry, a Liberal policy forum heard today.
More than 60 people attended today’s Liberal policy forum Skilling the Food Bowl, which was hosted by Senator Richard Colbeck, State Liberals Deputy Leader Jeremy Rockliff, and Federal Liberal Candidate for Lyons Eric Hutchinson at Clarendon House, Evandale.
Participants included representatives from schools, farming and related businesses, stakeholder groups, rural communities and bodies including the University of Tasmania, the Tasmanian Polytechnic, Tasmanian Landcare Association, Primary Industry Centre for Science Education and Australian Women in Agriculture.
The Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training, Christopher Pyne attended, as did West Australian Senator Chris Back. Senator Back is currently chairing the Senate Committee Inquiry looking at the higher education and skills training needed to support future demand for agriculture and agribusiness in Australia.
“Training, skills and education pathways related to agriculture and agribusiness are pressing issues all around Australia right now,” Senator Colbeck said.
“We know that the problems that currently exist have a wide impact on both industry and communities, and today’s attendance by a wide range of groups reflects that.
“It is very beneficial to have these different community and industry elements come together to help the Liberals develop future policy that will address the challenges. There is no substitute for grassroots consultation.”
State Liberals Deputy Leader Jeremy Rockliff said the Liberals were being proactive about agricultural education because the issues were simply too important to Tasmania’s future economy to ignore.
“The Liberals won’t leave agricultural skills issues hanging the way Labor has. We will work with industry to meet the challenges and to ensure agriculture continues to be part of Tasmania’s future,” Mr Rockliff said.
“The State Liberals know how important primary industries are to Tasmania’s rural and regional communities and our policy consultation work here today will help us support one of the five pillar industries, which generates a flow-on effect of around $5 billion for our state’s economy each year.”
