CQUniversity opening the gate to agribusiness careers

28 November 2024
Three young children in school uniforms complete a classroom experiment looking at fruit. One child writes while two others eat a piece of fruit.
Children will be able to explore the ag industry and the many roles within through the Agribusiness Gateway to Industry Schools project

CQUniversity has been selected as the new agribusiness provider under the Queensland Government Gateway to Industry Schools Program through to 2028.

The Gateway to Industry Schools Program builds partnerships between schools and key Queensland industries to enable young people to acquire the knowledge, skills, and attributes to participate effectively in the State’s economy and provides opportunities for industry and the education sector to work together to deliver outcomes for students, local communities and businesses.

Each project is led by industry organisations that develop and implement tailored school engagement activities in line with their industry's key skills and workforce priorities. 

As the new provider for the Agribusiness Gateway to Industry Schools project, CQUniversity will partner with AgForce Queensland, AgriFutures Australia, and the Queensland Agricultural Teachers Association (QATA) to activate school engagement and education programs for 15 schools, with the goal of introducing young Queenslanders to the many careers available in the State’s agriculture industry. 

Associate Professor Amy Cosby engaging with four primary students, one is wearing a cow hat and holding an iPad.
Associate Professor Amy Cosby leads CQUniversity's Agricultural Education and Extension team

Associate Professor Amy Cosby, head of CQUniversity’s Agricultural Education and Extension team welcomed the announcement and said the University was well-placed to work with high schools and the agricultural industry across Queensland. 

“CQUniversity has a strong track record in working with industry and schools across Australia to offer programs which raise the aspirations for students to pursue a career across the agricultural supply chain and highlight the vital contribution the of sector to the Queensland economy. We look forward to building on the great work of the QLD Department of Primary Industries (formerly DAF) who have delivered the project for the past three years,” said Assoc Prof Cosby. 

“Our activities are designed to showcase the many different skills needed in the sector including on-farm roles and those that support the industry such as marketing, finance, science, technology, trades, and supply chain and logistics. 

“Our research-led school programs are designed from evidence gathered from many years of experience working alongside the agricultural industry and the education sector. 

“This type of collaboration allows us to build a thorough understanding of workforce attraction, development and retention strategies and design new solutions to ensure the sector is adapting and thriving into the future.

“It is our aim to introduce kids in high school to the industry and to build excitement and interest in agriculture – especially among those from non-farming backgrounds. 

“The CQU project will offer two activity streams for schools to get involved in; the first is to apply to be a Gateway School where the project team will work closely with school staff over 12 months to create connections with industry and build capacity to embed agriculture across the curriculum. The second offers the chance to participate in teacher professional development or to host the project team in class to deliver curriculum-aligned lessons focused on science and technology of agriculture,” she said.

Agriculture teacher helping students with robot coding.JPG
As the Agribusiness Gateway to Industry Schools Program provider CQU will work with teachers and school students to showcase the opportunities available in the ag sector

As the new provider of the Agribusiness Gateway to Industry Schools project, a key priority for CQUniversity will be to expand existing programs by increasing partnerships with the local agricultural industry, incorporating the latest AgTech into the classroom, and enhancing agricultural teaching in schools through new professional development opportunities for teachers, to equip them with an understanding of the latest technologies and practices utilised in the industry. 

The University will also develop a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation framework to assess and monitor student engagement and program impact. 

CQUniversity will commence as the service provider for the Agribusiness Gateway to Industry Schools project in February 2025 and schools interested in becoming involved in the project will be able to apply from early 2025. 

For more information, and project updates please visit CQU’s Agri-Tech Education and Extension website or email ageducation@cqu.edu.au.

The Agribusiness Gateway to Industry Schools Project is managed by CQUniversity and is funded by the Department of Trade, Employment and Training, delivered in partnership with AgriFutures Australia, the QATA and AgForce Queensland.

More information about the Gateway to Industry Schools Program can be found on the website for the Queensland Department of Trade, Employment and Training.