HORTICULTURE’S peak body is calling on businesses to host an intern as a way to support the next generation of employees.
Horticulture Innovation Australia (HIA) has launched a program which links horticulture businesses with final year university students.
With the financial assistance of HIA, successful students would undertake a year-long horticulture focussed project which met the needs of the business. Upon the completion of the project the business would then have the funding support of HIA to employ the student for one year.
HIA chief executive John Lloyd said $3.9 million had been set aside to fund the program.
“The initiative will provide horticulture growers and associated business operators with a rare opportunity to tap into some of the nation’s brightest minds while gaining new resources for their operations,” he said.
He said the initiative would give employees a chance to snaffle up the year’s top-performing graduates who had a clear passion for agriculture and a willingness to live in rural and regional areas.
All businesses in the horticulture supply chain were eligible to partner with students.
The advantages for students were plentiful, he said. During the first year of the program the cohort of selected graduates will come together for a five-day face-to-face leadership program to be delivered by the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation.
Further, the project would be tailored to meet their degree requirements.
Students from disciplines spanning engineering, commerce, marketing and agriculture are encouraged to apply.
The application process is being managed by Rimfire Resources.
