There’s been a bit in the media lately about the need for incentives to attract young people to careers in agriculture.
I’ve been talking to a few students studying Agricultural Science over the last few weeks about what they see as barriers to staring their own careers in agriculture.
None of the students mentioned needing financial incentives to study agriculture, although money is always welcome. Instead almost all identified the main barrier to planning their career as a lack of understanding of link between their degree and jobs in agriculture.
Many have parents who farm and are doing very well without a university education, so tertiary educated role models are a bit thin on the ground. What most of them want is contact with people currently in agricultural careers who could provide them with some context for their studies as well as ideas on how to develop their own networks and skills so they can transition into a job post-university.
When offered an opportunity to speak to someone with a career in agriculture, student questions were generally broken down along the following themes:
“How do people get where they are?”
Understanding and awareness of people’s career paths is one of the most common interests of students as it helps them relate their studies to a career path. And while it may seem strange to us when we consider the skills shortages in agriculture, some students are actually quite anxious about their prospects and what if anything, their degree is preparing them for post-university.
So how can we share our stories and career lessons with these students?
“How do I connect with agriculture while I study in a capital city?”
Many students have moved from rural towns to study agricultural science at metropolitan universities and feel isolated from happenings in the sector. They want to know how they can build networks and find work experience opportunities when they are studying at metropolitan universities.
How can those of us with agricultural careers based in urban centres better connect with these students?
“How can I contribute to agriculture when I’m just a student?”
Many students feel “real life” wont start until they graduate and get a job. Some therefore feel they don’t have a contribution to make to agriculture until they leave university. Some also feel that industry will not be interested in their views until they have many years work experience under their belt.
Can we get these students involved in discussions or decision-making while still at university?
“How do I combine my interest in working in agriculture with my passion for educating people about where their food comes from? Do I need to be a teacher instead?”
A spin-off of so many rural students studying agriculture in our capital cities is that they are exposed to the lack of understanding many urban Australians have about food and fibre production. These students want to contribute to improving the image of agriculture. Again, there is uncertainty about the best approach with some wondering if they should switch their degree to teaching. And while I’d love to see more students wanting to be Ag teachers, I think we can agree that all jobs in agriculture now demand a degree of engagement and communication with the public.
Why aren’t we deploying this highly educated and enthusiastic cohort of young people who live and study in our capital cities to educate urban Australians about agriculture?
What I find interesting is that so many of the students’ questions could be answered over a coffee or a 30-minute phone call every now and then. And further, engaging them in a meaningful way in the work that we do not only provides benefit to them as they find their way, but surely brings a fresh perspective to the way we operate.
It seems so simple. Why is it so hard?
