Australian agriculture is experiencing a labour and skills shortage, driven by an aging workforce, low attraction rates and strong competition from the resource sector. The cotton industry is challenged with attracting and retaining core staff, on-farm labour, and access to professional advisers and service providers. The problem has recently been exacerbated by expansion following years of drought, and the resources boom.

The role of the Education Officer has developed and expanded since conception to (i) provide educational opportunities that enabled a flexible path for developing skills across the industry; (ii) co-ordinate specialist short courses and training for cotton consultants, agribusinesses, cotton growers and their staff; and (iii) promote science and agriculture in schools. The CRDC project also integrated broad industry investments in education and continued to develop relationships and partnerships with external education and government agencies.

The three year project reported on herein is the continuation of that initial project directly with the CRDC, which extends the strategies developed within it that aim to attract, develop and retain skilled people in the cotton industry. The Education Officer will maintain established links with education organisations, government agencies and industry bodies to promote science and agriculture in cotton regions. It will link with other industry investments in education, development and delivery. The Education Officer is employed by CSIRO based at the Australian Cotton Research Institute, Narrabri. This facilitated continued direct connections with the industry, schools, universities and rural communities.