STEM Teacher PD opportunity
RACE Gippsland & VegNET Gippsland are collaborating to support workforce capability building activities across the region by educating more young Gippslanders about the significant and diverse job and career opportunities in the horticulture industry.
As part of a grower-informed five year Regional Extension Strategy, VegNET Gippsland identified building workforce capability as a priority focus area for industry development.
While being a broad issue, covering the challenge of sourcing large numbers of people who are conditioned to field work during the peak season, through to appropriately educated and qualified individuals aware of the opportunities in horticulture to pursue business management positions, many growers expressed a desire for local young people to learn more about the local industry and the career opportunities it can present.
Many suggested that they would be willing to host school excursions onsite however requested support to coordinate logistics and organisational requirements.
Simultaneously, Central Queensland University received funding to facilitate the RACE Gippsland program, designed to raise awareness and increase motivation of young people to pursue a career in the local agriculture industry. A perfect opportunity!
So far, VegNET Gippsland has introduced RACE Gippsland to industry leaders providing mentorship to schools on Bass Coast, greenhouse growers who are hosting school students for an excursion to see greenhouse production at a commercial-scale and is participating alongside growers in a panel for School Science Week.
In September, RACE Gippsland will be facilitating professional development sessions for teachers of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematic) subjects.
These will be delivered in a hybrid format, pending COVID-19 lockdown conditions or restrictions.
The plan is to have two in-person sessions – one in Bairnsdale on 7 September and one in Leongatha on 10 September. These will include industry tours of both dairy and horticulture businesses, as well as a cheese making workshop!
These in-person days will be followed by two webinar sessions in October about traceability of Gippsland produce. This focus on traceability will be an opportunity for teachers to integrate digital literacy and data analysis skills into a real-life and local context.
Teachers from government schools will be reimbursed with a $200 subsidy towards the costs of a relief teacher after attendance at the industry tour.
Any schools who are interested in sending teachers to the professional development sessions can register online: Teacher PD workshop – RACE Gippsland.
If you would like to discuss other opportunities to connect with industry, express your interest online here: Food and Fibre Industry-School Partnerships Program – RACE Gippsland
If you are a grower and would like to make your business available to host an excursion or you could visit a class to describe your role or workplace, please get in touch with VegNET Gippsland’s Bonnie Dawson to register your interest.
