Being let down by others can be a bitter pill to swallow.
And when it comes to the sale of Longreach Pastoral College, the disappointment equates to a full prescription.
With the new owners announced and still no clear word on whether the facility will be used for education purposes, I predict a sad end to a sorry chapter.
In a dazzling display of nonchalance, the State Government has washed its hands of agricultural education – and the college sale is the final nail in the coffin.
Fortunately, our farmers are made of sterner stuff.
At AgForce we don’t sit and watch while the future of our industry crumbles through lack of investment, we get off our backsides and get stuck in.
With an industry crying out for a skilled workforce and existing ag education programs that are simply not adequate, AgForce is proud to launch AgForce Training – a new platform that offers a modern online approach to training, using innovations such as virtual reality and immersive 360 experiences, as well as traditional workplace training with modern technology and tools.
It’s a bold move, but one we believe will ensure the current and next generation of agriculture workers receive the targeted and contemporary training they need to continue the success of the industry.
Our surveys have unearthed a huge demand for broadacre agricultural training, and the government is failing to take action.
Corporate employers alone take on 160 new employees every year. They desperately want them trained up in workplace health and safety, basic property operations, livestock management, and horsemanship skills – and it costs them a lot of money, time, and effort to do that training themselves.
That’s where AgForce Training comes in.
Of course, if any of the new owners of Longreach Pastoral College do decide to invest in ag education and would like to work with us, we are open to collaboration.
Queensland has enormous potential to be a world leader in food production, but without skilled workers it’s only a pipe dream – and in my book that’s even worse than a bitter pill.
