When Owyn Thomas enrolled in the Diploma of Agriculture and the Diploma of Agribusiness with UQ Skills, he hoped the experience would help him understand the industry, but he did not expect it to shape his future so quickly.
Before graduating with a double diploma, he secured a role with Bare Essentials Quality Vegetables, one that he landed through one of the program’s industry visits.
“The whole experience has been pretty eye-opening,” Owyn said.
“You get a really good insight into how agricultural businesses actually run and all the different components behind them."
A major part of the program involves visiting agricultural businesses across the region, something Owyn says has been invaluable.
“We have visited a wide variety of farms and operations. It really helped me figure out what I am interested in.
“Some places showed me what kind of work I could see myself doing, and others showed me what I probably would not enjoy.
“It opens your eyes to the whole industry.”
It was during one of these visits that Owyn found an unexpected opportunity.
“One of the farmers told us they had a position coming up. I put my name forward, went through the interview process and got the job,” he said.
“I definitely was not expecting to come out of the course with a job already lined up.”
He says meeting employers in person made all the difference.
“That’s the advantage of these industry partnerships.
“You are not just reading about how farms work, you are actually there. You are talking to people, asking questions and building a connection.
“It gives you a real upper hand later on, especially when applying for jobs.”
Throughout the diplomas, Owyn has built a strong foundation of practical agricultural knowledge.
“We have learned so much. From climate change and soil to work health and safety, and property planning.
“Even things like documentation and how to fill out forms properly. Before this, I did not realise how important that side of the job was.”
Alongside agricultural skills, Owyn says the agribusiness component has given him insight into the business side of farming.
“In agribusiness we learned about finances. From gross margins to profit and loss and invoicing.
“It has been really good to understand how the numbers work because I never really thought about that before.
“If you want to manage or run anything in the future, you need that knowledge.”
With a new job lined up and a clearer sense of direction, Owyn is excited about the future.
“It feels good to have that next step sorted.
“The Diploma of Agriculture and Diploma of Agribusiness have definitely helped me get there.”
Explore agriculture and rural operations programs with UQ Skills.
