More than 140 students from across Australia have enjoyed an introduction to the wool industry via the National Merino Challenge in 2016.
Now it its fourth year and the first outside its pilot phase, the NMC has educated more than 360 secondary and tertiary students about the basics of the wool industry.
The aim of the NMC is not only to introduce students to the career opportunities within the sheep and wool industries but to offer basic skills surrounding sheep management and appraisal using both traditional and modern methods. Last year’s addition of a Careers Panel was broadened to seven panelists to provide students with more insight into the wide variety of options available through the sheep and wool industries.
With a growing list of sponsors and continued growth in participants every year, the National Merino Challenge has quickly established itself as a leading education program for young students interested in a career in the wool industry.
Australian Wool Innovation manager of woolgrower extension and adoption Emily King said the NMC had grown rapidly since its inception because it met the demands of a new generation.
“There is a strong wave of young people coming through who are increasingly enthusiastic about the wool industry. These are the young minds that will take the industry forward with new ideas and new leadership. It’s exciting to see and great to be involved.”
Now a territory manager with Vetoquinol in NSW, Brooke Cowan said the NMC was pivotal for her career.
“The NMC gave me the perfect introduction to the industry and some of the key skills required. At the end of the weekend I knew this was the industry for me and I had the confidence to then pursue employment within it. It’s a choice I am very pleased to have made.”
-AWI