$1.3 million program to grow the next-gen agriculture workforce

Charles Sturt has partnered with the Anthony Costa Foundation, goFARM Australia and Australian Farming Services to offer more than $1.3 million in scholarships.

The ‘AGcessibility: diversifying the next gen of Agriculture’ program is aimed at young people in rural communities and offers scholarships to First Nations people and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds.

There are AGcessibility Kickstart Scholarships, worth $15,000 each, for students from low socioeconomic backgrounds and AGcessibility First Nations Scholarships, also worth $15,000, for First Nations students.

Scholarships are open to commencing first-year students at Charles Sturt University studying a Bachelor of Horticulture, Bachelor of Agriculture, Bachelor of Agricultural Science, Bachelor of Agricultural Business Management, or Bachelor of Viticulture.

Charles Sturt Vice-Chancellor Professor Renée Leon thanked the organisations for assisting Charles Sturt to grow the horticulture and agriculture workforce through this dynamic initiative.

“The structure to this program, incorporating scholarships and human resources, acknowledges the proactive approach that is needed to boost engagement in the agriculture sector,” Leon said.

“The scholarships will remove the financial barriers that exist for prospective students, and the funding for an Indigenous engagement officer will be crucial in removing the confidence barriers that prevent some people taking the first step in a new career.”

Leon said the scholarships for First Nations people and people from low socioeconomic backgrounds will join more than $5.5 million that has been committed to Charles Sturt students this year.

The Anthony Costa Foundation, goFARM and AFS have committed more than $1.3 million of philanthropic support to the program and share Charles Sturt’s enthusiasm for growing the agriculture industry to becoming a $100 billion industry by 2030.

Ten students would enter the program a year, with at least half being from First Nations communities. The $15,000 is to be paid in instalments over three years.

It is estimated that one-third of employment opportunities in regional and rural Australia are linked to the agricultural sector and Charles Sturt has identified that 82% of graduates remain in rural areas long-term following graduation.

There is currently an average of four to five job opportunities for each university graduate in horticulture and agriculture. Horticulture and agriculture offer a diverse range of career pathways, including agronomy, agritechnology, irrigation management, crop protection, data management, sustainable food production or farm management.

Charles Sturt Emeritus Professor Jim Pratley said these scholarships aim to fill current and projected workforce capacity issues in the agricultural and horticultural sectors.

“This is an outstanding opportunity for today’s youth to enter the rewarding career path that horticulture and agriculture present,” he said.

The scholarships will be managed through the Charles Sturt University Foundation Trust, which manages gifts and donations to support programs and projects that help research and students to reach their full potential.

Applications for the AGcessibility scholarships are now open on the Charles Sturt website. Applications close at 9 am on Friday, 25 November.

Image credit: iStock.com/Charday Penn