The regional exchange program getting young people farming
A family farm on the Eyre Peninsula is hosting its second gap-year student as part of a federal program working to get more young people into agriculture.
AgCAREERSTART is a gap-year program aimed at kick-starting the careers of young Australians who are passionate about agriculture.
The program commenced in 2022 after the industry identified both a workforce shortage and the need for a clear pathway for young people to get into agriculture and onto farms.
Participants aged between 17-25 are matched with a host farm based on their industry interests, where they receive paid employment and hands-on experience, with training and development grants worth $4500 also on offer.
Lymn Farms, a mixed grain and sheep farm based near Wudinna on the Eyre Peninsula, first took part in the federal government-funded program in 2023.
Owners Chris and Leanne Lymn put their hands up to trial employing the farm’s first full-time worker, but that wasn’t the only reason.
“I guess we thought we had something to offer young people and [were] interested in getting young people involved in agriculture,” Chris said.
“That was the primary driver.”
The Lymns said the program not only provides them with access to workers who are passionate about agriculture, but also gives young people a chance to get involved in an industry where they often get overlooked for more experienced workers.
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For them, the program further addresses the labour shortage by connecting youths who haven’t grown up on or do not have access to a farm, with a host that’s willing to take them on.
“The kids that are applying have a passion for ag,” Leanne said.
“So they want to work in the ag industry, but they don’t have a connection to a farm, so we’re just giving them a connection.”
Another key aspect of the program for the Lymns is the students’ involvement with both the Lymn family and the wider community.
“Because it is a family farm they’re not staff, they’re a member of the family,” Leanne said.
“They move to a regional area, they move to the community, moving out of their own community and into ours, so our expectation is that they’re involved in the community and the family,” Chris said.
After a successful year with their first gap-year student Abby Higgins, Chris and Leanne are hosting Phoebe Holmes for 2024.
Phoebe comes from Renmark and is interested in working with sheep and grain.
Phoebe Holmes is spending her gap year at Lymn Farms on the Eyre Peninsula. Photo: supplied.
“I pretty much applied to [the program] because I’m not off of a farm myself, but I really have a strong interest in ag,” she said.
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“So doing this was just one of those ways that you can go out and get hands-on experience.”
Phoebe said that she has already learned a lot from the Lymns since starting earlier in the year, including how to drive a tractor, and is beginning to carry out independent work.
When she’s not working, Phoebe, like Abby before her, plays for one of the local netball teams, and has embraced the Lymns’ approach to community engagement.
“It’s been really great to be able to be invited into their house and also go out and meet the community and get to know everyone,” she said.
Phoebe, who plans to study Animal Sciences at the University of Adelaide next year, said she would recommend the program to anyone looking for hands-on experience.
Kayla Evans, AgCAREERSTART’s project manager, said that supporting both young people and host farmers was a key part of her team’s role, and that so far feedback had been positive.
“Our completion rates are really high,” Kayla said, “so about 80% of our participants who start on farm will finish out their gap year.
“And then of that 80 per cent, about another 80 per cent of those intend to pursue a long-term career in agriculture post-program, so it’s really good numbers for the future.”
The program has seen steady growth since its inception.
“Our first cohort we put on farm in 2022 was 30 participants nationwide,” Kayla said.
“In 2023 we had 70 on farm, and then this year we placed 80 on farm, so it’s been growing year on year.
“What’s also really awesome is the growth in hosts we’ve had come into the program.
“We’ve worked with 80 individual producers across the last three intakes.”
Applications for next year’s intake are open now for both participants and hosts and close on the 29th of September.
