There is a significant current labour shortage across the Australian agricultural industry. While enrolments in agriculture university degrees have increased recently, this trend has not occurred in vocational education and training courses. The ‘Exploring a cotton and grains agricultural apprenticeship/traineeships model’ project investigates how Vocational Educational Training (VET) and formal apprenticeships/traineeships can be utilised to support viable pathways for school leavers and career changers in the cotton and grains industry. 

This report forms the third part of this three-phase research project. Semi-structured interviews with cotton, grains and other agricultural industry participants including growers, apprentices and trainees, Registered Training Organisations and governing bodies were conducted to ascertain the barriers, pathways and opportunities for an agricultural apprenticeship/traineeship. The qualitative data collected during these interviews has been analysed to understand the complex issues that exist for multiple stakeholders, and which have, to date, prevented the establishment of an agricultural apprenticeship that is fit-for-purpose for the cotton and grains industry. The report concludes with recommendations for strategies and partnerships to increase on-farm workforce capacity of the Australian cotton and grains industry. It outlines how the employment of apprentices and trainees with recognised qualifications has the potential to assist in addressing the labour shortage currently being experienced by the Australian cotton and grains industry by facilitating the development of a skilled, dedicated, and enthusiastic workforce that will contribute to improving farm profitability and productivity and increased adaptive capacity.