Australia’s Agriculture Education
- The agriculture sector is ageing out and fewer young people are entering the industry.
- Attracting the younger generation is a priority for the industry.
- Offering agriculture in curriculum for children and teens is key to the future of the industry.
Agriculture education in Australia is lacking the one thing it needs, people. The labour force in the agriculture sector is ageing out and fewer young people are entering the industry. Things such as drought and competing industries are impacting the labour force. To keep the agriculture industry thriving in Australia, the industry must attract a younger generation into agriculture education. Attracting and securing a younger generation is a priority of the agriculture industry.
Agriculture education offers many different programs to children as young as 10 to cultivate an interest in agriculture. The Primary Institutes Education Foundation (PIEF) is determined to provide agriculture education to primary and high school children. PIEF is determined to make agriculture a part of the national curriculum. To meet the educational needs of schools, teachers and students, the National Farmers Federation is teaming with PIEF to bring together agricultural groups, educators and the Australian Government. The goal is to equip future agriculture workers with the skills and knowledge to be successful in the agriculture industry.
Education Resources
- Platforms that give teachers access to classroom resources is important to the agriculture education.
- There are different types of education available to students such as online and apprenticeships
There are many resources when it comes to agriculture education in Australia. There are online options for agriculture education as well as hands on experience. Both online and hands on experience can be used successfully in the classroom. The platform Primezone is a database that gives teachers many educational resources. These resources are linked to the Australian Curriculum and are from Foundation all the way to Year 12 in agriculture education. This platform is a valuable tool for teachers when it comes to providing education for students.
Rural Skills Australia offers both online and in person, hands on education. The hands-on experience is obtained by linking students with agriculture apprenticeships throughout Australia. Rural Skills Australia also offers apprenticeship support as well as community support surrounding agriculture education. Depending on one’s location there are many different types of training available. Rural Skills Australia is aimed at developing and passing on the skills necessary to be successful in the agriculture industry to the younger generation as well as combating the ageing labour force.
Organisations passing on the skills and knowledge
- Organisations such as the Primary Industries Education Foundation are dedicated to passing on agriculture skills and knowledge
- The National Farmer’s Foundation is connecting agricultural groups with teachers to better educate students
- Online courses are one way to attract the younger, online generation
Agriculture education may be on the decline, but with groups like PIEF the education and skills needed to keep agriculture alive will be passed onto the next generation. With agriculture education soon becoming a part of the national curriculum, we will see a younger generation entering the industry. Attracting the younger generation is priority and organisations such as the National Farmers Federation are making it possible by connecting agricultural groups and teachers. Giving teachers access to platforms like Primezone will help further the goal of attracting the younger generation to the agriculture industry. Online courses and resources are making agriculture education more appealing to the younger, online connected generation of the country.