DOZENS more Wimmera-educated agriculture professionals are set to enter the workforce ahead of the 2020 harvest.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Longerenong Agricultural College principal John Goldsmith said students from the institution were "in hot demand at the moment".
"Our current students finish on October 22nd," he said.
"There are about 85 students finishing their course completely or that are halfway through, and pretty much all of them have jobs locked in already."
The college, a campus of Skillinvest, offers courses in Agriculture, Agribusiness and Agronomy, as well as wool classes and farm apprenticeships.
READ MORE:
Mr Goldsmith said he wasn't sure exactly how many of the students would stay in the Wimmera once they began their new jobs.
He said the college hoped to see enrolments increase in 2021, once the 1000-hectare AgTIDE DATA farm began operations to augment students' education.
"Technology units will be embedded into our existing courses," he said.
Skillinvest chief executive Darren Webster said now was a good time for people looking for work to consider training in agriculture.
"The employment outcome for students that go to Longerenong is in the high 90s. While it has been tough, we can certainly see plenty of positives on that front.
"People still need food. Certainly in regional Victoria - we've got some issues with border crossings, but for this area in particular Agriculture hasn't missed a beat.
"I think both levels of government are starting to really promote the value of apprentice and traineeships as an attractive option for young people. Most young people leaving school would be aware that these days they can do an apprenticeship and make a good career out of it."
Mr Webster said there was also a high demand for engineers from employers in the region, caused by workers not being able to cross state borders.
He said the easing of restrictions in regional Victoria had led to more apprenticeships being advertised, and more agribusinesses engaging labour hire.
"There has been a fair bit of activity out there in grain sampling and farm hands over the last few weeks," he said.
"Most of the government stimulus to date has been around keeping people in their jobs, but I think in the next few months we will see some incentives to stimulate the growth of employment in apprenticeships and traineeship areas."
The federal government hands down its 2020 budget on Tuesday.
If you are seeing this message you are a loyal digital subscriber to the Wimmera Mail-Times, as we made this story available only to subscribers. Thank you very much for your support and allowing us to continue telling the Wimmera's story. We appreciate your support of local journalism.
Alexander Darling
Alexander has been a member of the Wimmera Mail-Times' editorial team since December 2018, covering politics, business and property among other rounds. He is a passionate St.Kilda and rock and roll fan, and has previously worked as a radio reporter in Port Macquarie and Gosford, NSW.
Alexander has been a member of the Wimmera Mail-Times' editorial team since December 2018, covering politics, business and property among other rounds. He is a passionate St.Kilda and rock and roll fan, and has previously worked as a radio reporter in Port Macquarie and Gosford, NSW.
