Media Release 17 October 2007

Rural changes driving unquenchable thirst for agricultural qualifications

Demand for people with agricultural and NRM qualifications is expected to rise by 36 per cent over the next six years, according to research from the University of Sydney.

The research was carried out by the Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources to explore the current and future landscape for graduate employment in the Australian agribusiness and NRM sector. It draws from current literature plus interviews with agriculture recruitment firms, agriculture employers and key influencers in Australia’s agriculture and NRM sector.

“Australia’s agricultural sector is facing seismic challenges from climate change, the drive to sustainability and the corrosive effects of the country’s skills shortage,” said Professor Les Copeland, Dean of Sydney University’s Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources.

“It is clear that climate change will pose an increasingly complex landscape for the sector, both from an operational and regulatory standpoint and the sector’s response to this complexity will require an infusion of scientific and policy skill.

“In light of these macro challenges, we believe that over the coming decade Australia’s agriculture sector will experience an almost unquenchable thirst for graduates from a range of agricultural disciplines,” Professor Copeland said.

Key findings:

• A 36 per cent increase in agricultural jobs which equates to another 123,000 agriculture-related jobs added to the Australian economy over the next six years;
• The potential of biofuels to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to provide greater fuel security for Australia, will require the skills of young people with a range of agricultural and natural resource management qualifications;
• In the horticulture industry alone, the opportunities for skilled graduates are extensive and continue to expand. Horticulture, a $7 billion industry, is the fastest-growing sector in the Australian agricultural sector with 17,273 enterprises;
• While graduate salaries range up to $55,000 per annum, recruitment firms report that graduates often secure higher remunerative packages to relocate to rural and regional areas and enjoy a range of overseas opportunities;
• Almost all graduates from Sydney University’s Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources are offered jobs before they even complete their course.

The research findings will be presented later this week in Canberra to a meeting of the Australian Council of Deans of Agriculture, representing the Universities of Sydney, Adelaide, Charles Sturt, La Trobe, Melbourne, New England, Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia. The Council is keen to develop sector-wide strategies for strengthening student recruitment into agricultural science programs.

The findings are also supported by the Australian Institute of Agricultural Science which has set up a Special Interest Group on Agricultural Education and is actively championing the need for human capital development in agriculture and natural resource management.

Contacts:

Professor Les Copeland
Sydney University
02 9351 2935

Claude Gauchat
Australian Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology
02 6163 8122