Queensland horticulture body Growcom has partnered with Year13 – a digital platform for high school leavers – on a new campaign encouraging young Australians to consider horticultural work as a gap year option.
As part of the collaboration, participating school leavers will be provided with pre-induction training through the FarmReady Hub, along with assistance in finding employment.
Employers wanting to take on school leavers will need to demonstrate their commitment to fair employment practices through Fair Farms Certification or demonstrated commitment to good work practices.
Stephen Barnard, chief executive of Growcom, said the horticulture industry must explore innovative ways of securing a reliable workforce, as it looks to offset disruptions to labour supply caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Through the Gap Year campaign, we are investing in young Australians, providing them with a better preview of the industry and what opportunities are available in Queensland,” said Barnard.
“We are also continuing investment in safe and ethical employers, to ensure workers have the best possible experience in the industry.
“This is an opportunity to establish horticulture as not only a gap year option, but a rewarding career path.”
Year13 works with government, employers and educators to bridge the gap in youth employment.
Saxon Phipps, co-founder and co-chief executive of Year13, said he and the Year13 team are excited about the opportunities the new campaign provides.
“There needs to be more focus on providing [education] opportunities across regional and rural Australia and our partnership with Growcomdoes exactly that,” Phipps said.
“We want to promotehorticulture as a fulfilling career while giving young Australians more options of meaningful career pathways.”
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