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Name:
Craig
Role Title:
Assistant Farm Manager, Deakin Estate Wingara Wine Group,
Iraak, Vic
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Description
of work undertaken:
As Assistant Farm Manager I oversee and am responsible
for technical trials, irrigation scheduling, integrated
pest management, crop estimation, maintaining
farm records, nutrition programs in 250 ha of
citrus and 350 ha of vines.
Team and / or individual
responsibilities:
My team and I instigate trials in the orchard/vineyard.
I see my future being mainly in the vineyard and
orchard management area.
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BACKGROUND:
I
grew up in the Sunraysia district, a major horticultural
region nestled in the corner of NSW, Victoria and South
Australia on the river Murray.
I
completed HSC and undertook a farm apprenticeship at
CSIRO. Due to limited career options I decided to complete
an Associate Diploma in Applied Science Horticulture
at Burnley, now part of the University of Melbourne.
Course(s)
studied:
Secondary: Were courses in school planned for this sort
of work / other / nothing in particular?
I
attended a local secondary school and considered science
and mathematics to be good precursors to the horticultural
industry. While at school I really enjoyed general science
as well as chemistry principles.
Work
experience:
I
count my apprenticeship years as valuable work experience!
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OPPORTUNITIES:
Further study:
In
the future I would like to study some modules
related to work in my own time. Maybe even undertake
distance education, which is encouraged by my
employer.
Learning
on job, new skills, etc.
A
lot of skills are learnt hands-on through trial
and error, and through communication with other
growers and industry professionals.
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Travel,
etc.
Part
of my job involves travelling to the Coonawarra region,
where my employer has another vineyard.
ADVICE TO STUDENTS NOW:
VCE students
Following
a science pathway combined with good reporting and presentation
styles will give students a sound footing at University.
Tertiary
students
Work
experience, work experience, work experience!!
OTHER:
Comments, thoughts, suggestions.
The
real world is not always the way the text books describe
it!
What
careers have other graduates from your course entered?
A
lot of my peers have started working in the nursery,
natural resources and retail industries.
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