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Fifteen leaders in the Tasmanian agriculture sector have graduated from an innovative career development program with new practical skills and knowledge to thrive and lead in a changing climate.
The Enable Program is a joint initiative of the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA) and Rural Business Tasmania (RBT) and brings together owners and managers of agricultural businesses and people working in extension. The TAS Farm Innovation Hub is a sponsor of the program.
TIA Director, Professor Mike Rose, said the program attracted participants from across Tasmania eager to develop their leadership and management skills.
“TIA’s mission is to provide the research and industry support to accelerate Tasmania’s agricultural productivity, while maintaining land and water quality for future generations. Supporting the training and development of our agricultural leaders and innovators is a critical part of this,” Professor Rose said.
“I hope the connections formed through this program will be useful beyond graduation day and the participants will be leaders in the agricultural sector and help each other succeed.”
The Chief Executive Officer of Rural Business Tasmania, Elizabeth Skirving, said the feedback from those involved had been positive.
“In speaking with participants and sponsors, it was apparent that the program has provided many transformational journeys and learnings that can be applied by the participant and also benefit their employer or sponsor organisation,” she said.
“Each participant spoke with passion about their growth during the Enable journey and the connections made.”
Blueberry farmer in northern Tasmania, Trish McFarlane, was sponsored by the TAS Farm Innovation Hub to participate in the program and said it was a valuable experience.
“There wasn’t anything in the program that wasn’t relevant. I’ve been able to take something out of each section of the course. I didn’t realise I would walk away with all that information,” she said.
“The sponsorship that’s associated with the program is invaluable and it’s enabled us to open ourselves up to future learnings.
“It’s also helped me reflect and look at the direction of the farm and I’ve now got the tools to do that.”
TIA PhD candidate, Dominique Bowen Butchart, received a scholarship from Tasmanian Women in Agriculture to be able to participate.
“I’ve always wanted to do some leadership training and I was astonished at how much self-development was actually embedded in the training,” she said.
“I’ve taken elements of this program into all parts of my life.”
The Enable Program was delivered over four months and included one full-day workshop and one 2-hour online session each month.
The program was funded by the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry through the AgUp Program which support initiatives that will help secure and retain workers in the agriculture, fisheries and forestry sector.
The TAS Farm Innovation Hub was a major sponsor of the program. The hub is one of eight hubs nationally funded through the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund, is based at TIA and delivered through an extensive network of industry and community partners.
