Train Agricultural Workers – Meet the Staffing Shortage

The Australian Agricultural industry is worth over $71 billion currently and $12,541 billion worldwide.

However, there is a massive labour shortage in agriculture due to issues such as -

• COVID-19 led to stricter border controls reducing in a loss of seasonal workers.
• The pandemic also led to a reduction in the number of international students, who again represented potential part-time workers.
• The cost of living crisis has meant workers leave for higher paid jobs
• Some workers are reluctant to choose careers in agriculture due to misunderstandings about the work itself and low pay.

It is estimated that Australia is currently 172,000 workers short to supply the public from paddock to plate.  This will have a substantial impact on –

• Short term, and potentially long term, prices
• Short term, and potentially long term, availability of food

Unless solutions are found to deal with this looming crisis.

Suggestions to alleviate this pressure include easier visa pathways for overseas workers, encouraging people to work in Australia.

There are other options –

Information

School leavers, TAFE leavers, university leavers and people wishing to change their careers need to be informed on the potential careers with agriculture. Agriculture is a wide and diverse industry with many opportunities available that the general public may not be fully aware of.

There are options for people who want to work outdoors to those who want to work in a laboratory. 

There are also opportunities for changes of career within agriculture, promotion and progression. 

Education

Another option to consider with regards to obtaining more workers is to actually train more staff to enable them to work in the agricultural industry.

Today, there is an increased importance in lifelong learning. People can change their careers on average eight to twelve times during their lifetime.

However, not adult who is interested in studying agriculture is able to give up their full time job to study full time.

This is where there are gaps in the market -

• Adults may be interested in studying agriculture, but unable to start full time.
• Or they may not be sure if agriculture is right for them.
• Adults may not be able to attend physical, classroom based courses.
• People who are already working in agriculture may want to diversify, expand their knowledge and experience, upgrade their qualifications.

This is where online learning and e-learning courses can fill the gap –

• Enabling people new to agriculture to study
• Enabling people already in agriculture to study

Agricultural Education

The agricultural industry is a massive industry, as we have already discussed, but so is the online education market. It is estimated that by 2030, it will be worth $840 billion globally. 

These two massive industries offer an opportunity for people who are interested in selling agricultural courses to adults who are not willing or able to attend classroom courses.

 

Working with ACS

ACS Distance Education was established in 1979 with just one horticultural courses.

• In the last 43 years, we have developed over 700 online and distance learning courses.
• Our courses are written and developed by experts in their field. Our agricultural courses are written by agricultural writers, who are also tutors AND have practical experience in agriculture. This means that they know what needs to be done in agricultural practice, but also how to write and tutor on high quality online courses.
• Our courses are all developed to be studied online. So the focus and theory behind the courses is to ensure high quality courses studied by distance learning, not courses developed for the classroom then stuck online. We are experts in online and distance learning. That is what we develop. That is what we do.

This means that at ACS, we have courses that are –

• Suitable for people wanting to study agriculture
• Written to be studied by distance learning
• Written by experts in the agricultural and online education industry

Would You Like to Set Up Your Own Agricultural School?

We offer the option for affiliates to set up their own agricultural school. We offer agricultural courses in –

You might want to do this as a full time endeavour or as a part-time, side hustle to get you started. Whatever your ideas, this is what you will get from us –

 

Why not consider setting up your own educational business with ACS?

We supply

• all the OFF THE SHELF READY TO GO  course content
• the LMS (learning management system)
• procedures and assets necessary for you to begin your business.

You just choose the courses you want to market and sell and get your front end website and branding etc setup. 

It’s that easy! 

 

With ACS Distance Education, there are no limits to the opportunities available for where you can sell courses.

 

• If you are a hard worker
• If you are keen and enthusiastic
• If you like variety and opportunity in your work
• If you want to run your own business
• If you want to hear more about the advantages of becoming an affiliate with ACS
• If you want to work in a growth industry, with massive potential.
• If you want a chance to develop a business to suit you
• If you want to find out how start an online school

 

CONTACT ONE OF OUR AFFILIATE MANAGERS HERE TO FIND OUT IF THIS BUSINESS MODEL WOULD WORK FOR YOU