A number of Sudanese students from Melbourne’s Heritage College, which has campuses in Officer and Narre Warren, recently ventured into rural Victoria after being offered the chance to build on their understanding of Australian agriculture and learn more about the career options available in the sector.
According to the chairman of Agribusiness Gippsland, the group which organised the trip, careers in the rural sector can be overlooked and the day was aimed at showing the children that farming offers great potential when it comes to starting a business.
The entrepreneurial possibilities were brought to life thanks to a visit to the GEST plant nursery. Known for growing native plants of the Gippsland area, the nursery now has plans to develop a Sudanese garden. The idea is to produce ingredients for a number of traditional dishes from the country; many of which are based on stews and soups.
Talk of the new space was met with plenty of advice from the students, and growing suggestions included chillies and okra.
After the plant nursery, a stop at a nearby dairy farm highlighted the grand scale on which modern farming can operate. It also showed how investment in technology can boost a business’s chances of success.
The trip was staged as part of a pilot scheme to generate more interest in the industry. After the success of this event, it is hoped that the initiative will continue. No doubt printing companies will be on hand to provide materials to boost publicity around the drive.
