Bridget Barber joined the AgCAREERSTART program last year and said the experience working on an almond and citrus orchard in the Riverina gave her a great introduction to agriculture.
THE National Farmer’s Federation’s gap-year program AgCAREERSTART has just entered its fourth year, with about 70 young people expected to participate in the program in 2025. AgCAREERSTART connects farmers with 17 to 25-year-olds who want to work on Australian farms.
Participants are provided a job, dedicated pastoral support, training and development grants, and the opportunity to build their networks in the industry.
The program is funded by the Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry.
Almost 250 young Australians have participated in the program. AgCAREERSTART boasts a retention rate of 83% of graduates staying in agriculture, post-program.
Bridget Barber participated in the program last year, working on an almond and citrus property in the Riverina and said it gave her a great introduction to agriculture.
After finishing Year 12 the Queenslander was unsure what she what she wanted to study at university, so the thought of having a gap year was a good option.
“I knew nothing about the Riverina or anyone in the area before coming to live down here for the year,” she said.
Bridget spent a lot of time doing tractor work in the orchards and this included slashing throughout the off season. “When it came to clearing the interrow crop in preparation for harvest, I did work on the speed tiller, the Kelly chain and the xplane,” she said. Bridget said she would recommend the program to other young people who are looking to have a gap year after secondary school. “It’s a great opportunity to gain hands-on hands experience whilst learning and gaining training within the industry,” she said.
AgCAREERSTART participants receive a training and engagement bursary and Bridget used hers to obtain certifications and go to conferences, where she could network and learn more about the industry. In 2025 Bridget plans to work on a property back in Queensland to experience the climate and crops grown in that area.
“In the future, I am hoping to stay within the industry and to complete a degree within the pathway I choose to go down,” she said. Customised Farm Management’s Regional Manager Richard Malone said the rural asset management business has more than 100 employees on its farms.
“People are our most valuable asset and CFM saw the AgCAREERSTART program as a wonderful opportunity to attract young people into agriculture,” he said.
“Our motivation is to give the participants a great experience on farm that would hopefully one day foster them into a career in agriculture, and perhaps one day see themselves joining the larger CFM group.”
Mr Malone said with cross sectoral support CFM can offer an experience across a vast range of industries such as almonds, citrus, irrigated cotton, irrigated and dryland broadacre cropping and livestock farming.
“CFM has been a host in the AgCAREERSTART program for three consecutive years now with a tremendous experience each year,” he said.
“Charlotte, Callum, Bridget and Elijah have all been fantastic individuals to have work in our business.” Mr Malone highly recommends AgCAREERSTART to other almond growers and said CFM looks forward to continuing with the program into the future.
“It is a pure joy watching individuals develop their skills and passion over a 12-month period,” he said. Mr Malone said the AgCAREERSTART team has been a great support. “The selection process and interviews ensure a smooth transition into the on farm role,” he said.
“The team offer support around training plans for the participants and assist in providing a bursary for the participant to attend training courses, conferences or further education.” For more information on the program, click here.