The University of Tasmania and Dairy Australia have partnered to develop a masterclass to boost the capability of Australia’s dairy sector and address a national shortage of professional training pathways for dairy farm managers.
Dairy Australia learning and development manager Felicity Blackstock said the masterclass would help dairy mangers to maximise farm performance and lead successful teams.
“Attracting people to the industry and building skills are key commitments of the recently launched Australian Dairy Plan and we’re pleased this initiative will help to deliver on these priorities,” she said.
The masterclass will provide practical business management skills including financial management, leadership and human resources, business development and farm systems.
The 12-month course will include online learning and face-to-face workshops at a range of locations across Australia.
Aurora Dairies chief executive officer Ben James oversees large-scale dairy farming operations in Victoria and employs a number of dairy farm managers.
He said the masterclass was a step forward for the industry, which was seeing the number of people employed on farms increase.
“The role of dairy farm manager requires a diverse range of skills to drive farm business profitability and sustainability and the masterclass will support dairy businesses and employees for development in these roles,” Mr James said.
University of Tasmania associate professor Alistair Gracie said the masterclass was being built in collaboration with industry to ensure it supports the future growth of Australia’s dairy sector.
“Running a dairy farm is a complex business and with farms getting bigger and employing more staff, strong people and business skills are vital to enabling and growing leadership in the sector,” Mr Gracie said.
“The masterclass will provide key business skills, but importantly will also offer networking opportunities for people to meet with and learn from others facing similar challenges.”
The dairy farm management masterclass is open to people working in the dairy industry across Australia.
Expressions of interest are invited prior to the formal application process opening later this year.
For more information, visit: utas.edu.au/dairy-masterclass
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