When Jongkuch Jongkuch enrolled in the Diploma of Agriculture and the Diploma of Agribusiness with UQ Skills, he wasn’t entirely sure where the path would take him, but he knew one thing: agriculture had always sparked his interest.
“I’m South Sudanese Australian, but I’ve never been to South Sudan, where my folks are from,” he said.
“They’re cattle herders, so agriculture is part of my family history.
“I grew up here so I never got to experience farming in the way my parents did.
“I enrolled in the program because I wanted to learn something new and see where it could take me.”
For Jongkuch, the program lived up to his expectations of providing opportunities to learn new things and develop his skills.
“Every time I went out into the field, I learned something new.
“Small things, like how to dig the soil properly or how to take a sample, were completely new to me.
“It’s been really exciting to learn by doing.”
Soil quickly became an area of interest to Jongkuch.
“I had no idea soil needed to be treated; that you had to add things like gypsum or nitrogen.
“Learning the science behind it and seeing the difference it makes on the ground is fascinating.”
The program has helped Jongkuch get a clearer picture of his future goals.
“As I learned more about agriculture and the wider industry, I began to explore fish farming as a future career.
“My goal is to start my own fish farming operation in South Sudan.
“Knowing the skills I’m learning could make a difference in South Sudan is exciting to me.”
Jongkuch credits his trainers, Mark Taylor and Guta Bedane, for helping him explore his future options.
“Our trainers have been amazing. They both have so much knowledge and they are always available to help and answer our questions.
“They’ve helped me develop my skills in the industry, see what’s out there, and explore options like fish farming that I wouldn’t have considered on my own.
“I didn’t come in with a farming background, but now I feel like I can do this.
“I’ve learned so much, not just about soil and farming, but about how to think, how to work safely, and how to plan for a business.
“I feel prepared to take my skills to South Sudan to make a difference.”
Explore agriculture and rural operations programs with UQ Skills.
