Growing up on his family’s 44,000-acre cattle property in Sunny Plains, near Julia Creek, Toby Fitchett has spent most of his life immersed in agriculture.
With around 2,000 head of cattle to manage, farming has always been part of his everyday life, but Toby felt there was more to understand beyond the work he had always done.
“I wanted to get more agricultural knowledge and put formal training behind my experience,” Toby said.
“That’s what led me to the Diploma of Agriculture and Diploma of Agribusiness with UQ Skills.
“I grew up doing this stuff, but I wanted to learn the proper way behind it and make sure I really knew what I was doing.”
Even though he arrived with years of experience, the program helped him see his work from a new angle. He found himself connecting classroom learning to the tasks he already knew well on the property.
“One example was the livestock production unit. I do all of that at home already, so it was really cool doing it on paper and seeing why things are done the way they are. Because you already know what you are doing, it just clicks.”
Farm tours quickly became one of his favourite parts of the experience.
“It was an introduction to industries that are very different from my family’s cattle farm.
“I loved going on the tours and seeing farms that were nothing like home.
“We are all cattle up there, so it was good to see different ways of doing things and learn from them.”
The agribusiness components also surprised him.
“I liked the profit and loss statements and the paperwork side of it.
“It was interesting seeing how you can map everything out and plan properly.
“Having your inventory sorted and a real plan for what you are doing makes a difference.”
Climate and rainfall analysis was another part of the course that stayed with him.
“Using data to track long-term weather trends gave me a new appreciation for how climate influences production.
“We were using websites to calculate average rainfall and the trends over the years.
“That was pretty cool to learn and I know it will help at home.”
Everything Toby has learned feeds directly into his role on the family property.
“It really matches up with the work I do.
“It has made me better at what I already did.”
With 2 diplomas behind him and strong industry experience, Toby is now applying for postgraduate study in agriculture with UQ.
Even though it usually requires a bachelor’s degree, his practical experience gives him an equivalent entry pathway.
He plans to return home after further study and continue working on the family business and the local agriculture store with a stronger foundation of knowledge beneath him.
“I can take everything I’ve learned and use it grow our family business back home.”
Explore agriculture and rural operations programs with UQ Skills.
