PR - A Smorgasbord Of Agribusiness Careers But Too Few Students: Reflections From Higher Education

A perplexing conundrum exists within the Australian agribusiness sector: there are strong career opportunities and a healthy number of job vacancies but fewer students entering higher education (HE) to study in this area. A lack of responsiveness, inflexibility and the undesirability of current HE courses have been suggested as one reason for this enigma. It is time for some reflection on how HE can meet the needs of the agribusiness industry in producing job-ready graduates. This study reflects on the issues at hand having canvassed the views of other major stakeholders, including employers, students, careers advisers and academics. It identifies the role of the agribusiness industry to the Australian economy and its growing need for highly trained and educated professionals. The criticisms of HE that are preventing students from enrolling in agricultural related courses are explored and recommendations for improving student participation are made.