Diploma of Agriculture and Diploma of Agribusiness student, Shale Sutherland, made one of the biggest decisions of her life when she left her full-time job as a National Sales Manager to pursue her passion for agriculture.
“What I was doing was great, but it didn’t give me the sense of purpose I was looking for,” Shale said.
“I realised I wanted to be part of an industry that truly mattered, something real that touches every single person.”
Although she grew up on a small hobby style property with cattle and chickens, she never imagined working in agriculture.
“In high school agriculture wasn’t seen as ‘cool’ and some people thought being from the country was weird, so I never saw it as something I could do.
Instead, I went to work in hospitality, film, photography and picture framing.”
“Meeting my partner, a local grain farmer, changed everything for me.”
“He opened my eyes to a whole different side of agriculture.
“I realised how big the industry really was and how little I actually knew.”
With no formal experience behind her, Shale knew she needed a solid foundation to build a future in the industry.
“So, I left my job, moved back home, and started all over again.”
Enrolling in the double diploma offered exactly what she needed, and field days and hands-on learning quickly became her favourite aspects of the program.
“We did soil testing, visited different farms and got an inside look at how successful agricultural operations ran.
“I also had no idea how many parts of the industry there are. From flower farming and onion farming to camel farms, fish farming, genetics and AI. There is so much out there.”
And for Shale, the trainers were also a standout.
“Our trainers have been fantastic.
“They’ve taught us so much and whenever we show interest in a particular area or field, they make the effort to take us somewhere that aligns with it.
“They genuinely try to tailor the learning to what we are interested in.”
Now Shale feels ready for her next step.
“Before this I wouldn’t have had a chance because I didn’t have the knowledge or experience.
“Now I feel like I can go anywhere.”
Explore agriculture and rural operations programs with UQ Skills.
