EXCITED 4 Careers in Agriculture project to push interest in mango jobs

The EXCITED 4 Careers in Agriculture national roadshow program, designed to get students keen for careers in the mango industry, will tour through schools in the Territory, targeting students from kindergarten to grade 10 in regional and rural communities.

The Australian Government's National Careers Institute funded the initiative which is a joint initiative between CQUniversity and a range of industry partners including the Northern Territory Farmers Association (NT Farmers).

The upcoming roadshow, which is visiting several schools including Good Shepherd Lutheran College in Howard Springs, will give students a taste of the exciting careers available in the mango sector, as well as introduce them to people in the area who already work in it.

A professional development and networking opportunity will also be offered to parents, teachers, and career advisors in the region.

CQUniversity researcher Dr Eloise Fogarty said the aim of the events is to inspire students, and the adults around them, to consider careers in agriculture.

"We want students to experience some of the science and technology that goes into producing mangoes, a tropical fruit that is loved all over the world and makes up an important and nutritious part of many people's diets," she said.

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"We know, through our research which we released in our 2021 Ag Knowledge Report, that many students believe the main jobs in agriculture involve hands-on farming, so we want to show them that, while farming is a great career, there are so many others too."

"Another key part of the EXCITED for Careers in Agriculture project is helping to link together students, teachers, and parents with ag industry members in a networking evening at the Northern Australia Development Office (NADO) in Darwin.

"We hope those connections continue to thrive long after the project has finished."

THE career guidance offered to secondary school students in the EXCITED 4 Careers in Agriculture project is aligned to the RIASEC model, a theory designed by American psychologist John L Holland.

RIASEC codes are a way to understand how an individual's personality and interests may fit into a career.

During the roadshow workshops, students will find out their personalised RIASEC code and use it to explore which agricultural careers would suit them best.

"Secondary students will find out their personal RIASEC codes and use that to try out different careers in agriculture," Dr Fogarty said.

"These interest codes can change as young people learn new skills and meet new influential people who encourage them in their career exploration.

"We hope that by doing this we can show that there's an abundance of opportunities out there and something for everyone."

The careers that will be discussed range from farmer and extension officer through to quality assurance officer, research agronomist, and truck driver.

"Once a student determines which careers their RIASEC code fits in they will then do an activity so, for example, the students who are interested in artistic pursuits will learn about social media and marketing while those who are more inclined towards investigative careers will learn about how research agronomists are constantly working to find the best varieties of mango that will thrive in the Territory and also meet consumer expectations," Dr Fogarty said.

EXCITED 4 Careers in Ag was well received by students and teachers who participated in 2022.

In anonymous post-event surveys teachers commented that "the whole day was engaging for students and catered for all learning styles" and "it's an excellent program and I would strongly recommend that any school should participate."

NT Farmers director of regions and projects, Simone Cameron, said the mango industry was at the forefront of adopting new technology, like automated picking machines, and so is a great sector for the students to learn about.

"As an agronomist and educator, myself, I am aware of the interesting science careers available in ag that many students may not have considered," she said.

"I'm excited to be able to be a part of exposing them to those opportunities and to encourage them to consider agriculture as a career.

"It doesn't just stop with the students, our Teacher Professional Development and Career Influencer Speed Dating event with teachers, parents, careers advisors, and industry will ensure they are ready to support students who might consider careers in ag."

"We want those people who influence students - parents, teachers, and careers advisors - to feel fully informed and ready to answer any questions they have about agriculture and the opportunities it offers."

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