Agriculture enrollments up at Universities around Australia
2/3/2017
AGRICULTURE enrollments have surged by up to 20 per cent at universities across Australia. Campuses are pointing to the diversity of job opportunities on offer for the increased interest in the sector.
The Australian Council of Deans of Agriculture, which led a campaign to recruit more students, reported a 15 per cent jump in agriculture and agribusiness enrollments at the University of Queensland and a 20 per cent jump in Western Australia’s Curtin University enrollments.Bachelor of Agriculture enrollments rose 19 per cent from 163 last year to 193 at University of Melbourne this year. Other universities also reporting strong growth after years of low enrollments that bottomed out in 2012.
University of Melbourne undergraduate Jonathan Nicoll said word had got around among young people that there were plenty of jobs in agriculture and a wealth of career options.
“There’s so many options when you’re finished,” he said.
Charles Sturt University’s Professor James Pratley said enrollments at his own campus had held after reaching a record 120 last year. “Job numbers are on the rise and the whole outlook for agriculture is really exciting, so we need all the professionals we can,” Prof Pratley said.
