Agricultural extension work placement program

The Agricultural Extension Work Placement Program 2023–2026 is delivered by Queensland Farmers’ Federation (QFF) and funded by the Queensland Reef Water Quality Program.

What does the program do?

The program seeks to improve regional capacity in far north Queensland, building a skilled extension workforce for tomorrow that can support producers advance or maintain their sustainable management practices that reduce nutrients, pesticides and sediment flowing from catchments to the Great Barrier Reef.

The program provides:

• Professional development for both trainees and mentors, enhancing the support provided to producers and land managers.
• Enhanced extension coordination by providing an opportunity for participants to come together and build stronger extension networks across commodities, organisations and regions.
• Succession planning with experienced extension staff and agri-businesses helping the next generation build strong relationships with farmers.

Trainees, recent graduates and early career professionals are provided with employment and training opportunities with host organisations. QFF runs a competitive selection process where potential host organisations identify mentors, training and work programs. Host organisations are external to government and include private suppliers, industry bodies and natural resource management organisations.

At the end of the program trainees have a holistic understanding of the issues impacting agricultural practices and the skills and tools to work with producers on sustainable farm management practices.

Highlights

To date, the Queensland Government has funded 36 young trainees mentored by industry experts to develop work-ready skills and networks and become part of the fabric of local communities from Burnett Mary to Cape York.

The 2023-2026 program supports two cohorts of up to 16 (8 per cohort) early career extension officers, with a 15 month placement.

Trainees have gained employment in their industries, most with their host organisation or in the agricultural extension, farm advisory and research services or the natural resource management sector.

Since the program started in 2018, twenty-one organisations across the grazing, sugarcane, horticulture, banana and natural resource sectors have hosted the graduates.

Host organisations value the program as it provides hand-selected trainees, offers extensive training opportunities and builds participants’ capacity to deliver projects that improve farm profitability and productivity. About a third of the host organisations have hosted two or more trainees. One mentor noted an effective extension officer normally needed seven years of experience but the program “fast-tracked this by three years”.

The program is supporting and building Queensland’s agricultural future.