Students and ag businesses unite for Riverina first

The Riverina Compendium, which will provide information on career opportunities, work experience and longer-term employment, was launched at Yanco Agricultural High School on December 1.

Principal Marni Milne said the collaboration involved the Old Yanconians' Union and Foundation, the Parents and Citizens Committee and various support organisations across the region.

"The foundation was the driver in trying to support the students to connect with businesses in the agriculture industry outside of school and to develop those relationships to support our students and their careers moving into the future," she said.

Businesses in the region interested in attracting and developing students supporting the breadth of agricultural careers will be listed in the compendium.

This would include their interest in contributing to careers workshops, providing work experience, and early career employment.

Details would also be provided on VET and university course options related to career pathways.

"There's going to be a directory of agribusinesses and connections, but we also see it being much broader than that," Ms Milne said.

"We envisage the businesses which have formed these relationships will come into the school and develop programs with our ag teachers, for example, to bring industry experience through those experts working in the industry now, into our curriculum and our classrooms.

"So there's also that component of career education and using those partner businesses to support our curriculum and have students tap into their expertise and knowledge because so many of our Old Yanconians and the businesses that they've made connections with have such vast experience in the industry outside of the classroom, which is so important for our students to be able to utilise."

Funding to prepare the Riverina Compendium has been provided by the YAHS Old Yanconians' Foundation and the Primary Industries Education Foundation Australia.

"It's through the support of Old Yanconians donating funds and supporting projects that keep these initiatives focused on the students and the outcomes for our students," Ms Milne said.

"They are really contemporary in their approach in terms of the initiatives they're devising.

"It's great to have the support of the Old Yanconians' Union and Foundation for our current students."

The compendium will be available online for all schools, students, parents and agribusinesses in the Riverina from the start of the 2024 school year.