Community
7 May, 2025
Cows Create Careers meets Timboon P12
YEAR Seven students at Timboon P12 heightened the knowledge of the agricultural industry as one of the schools participating in the 2025 Cows Create Careers (CCC) program.
The unit, sponsored by WestVic Dairy, run by Jaydee Events and brought together by the Timboon Agriculture Project (TAP), included a visit from dairy experts who could provide greater understanding of what opportunities are available for those wanting to enter the industry.
WestVic Dairy’s workforce attraction farm engagement lead Samantha Andrews and dairy farmer Max Bond both returned to the classroom to outline potential opportunities, careers and pathways in the dairy industry to Year Seven students.
TAP coordinator Andrea Vallance said the classes were able to hear how central agriculture is to the region, with dairy being the “biggest enterprise in south west Victoria”.
“Sam and Max discussed the many opportunities both inside and beyond the farmgate as a lifetime career or as an interim job that taught numerous teambuilding skills with lots of potential for careers in STEM right across our industry,” she said.
“Students learnt that dairy farmers take advantage of innovative and sustainable measures to ensure the health and sustainability of their animals, farms, teams and businesses including cow collars, robotic dairies, genomics, sexed semen and recycling water to grow crops.
“Our guests described their career pathways, farm operations, herd, staffing, dairy businesses and goals for their agribusinesses.
“Students were challenged to nominate as many careers in dairy as possible with class 7B producing the longest list.
“The students were left with a much better understanding of the range of flexible careers in agriculture across our region – many thanks to Max and Samantha.”
The CCC unit will include dairy farmers delivering two calves to the school for a few weeks to assist in student learning about industry.
Timboon P12 mathematics and science teacher Gemma Dennis said the students are looking forward to meeting this year’s calves.
“The students have named them Tilly and Milky Way,” she said.
“Max came and spoke to 7B about his personal journey from a student to a farm manager on the family farm.
“He was able to speak about his time at Longerenong Agricultural College and his roles in the community.”
Cows Create Careers is an annual program not limited to Timboon P12.
Jaydee Events managing director Deanne Kennedy said she’s been part of running the event since its inception 21 years ago, with around 220 schools taking part each year.
“We have about 15,500 students every year across 23 dairying regions,” she said.
“I think the program does several things – it’s an awareness tool about agriculture and where our food comes from, because a lot of country kids are town kids and they don’t always have the opportunity to learn where their food source comes from.
“What we’ve seen happen over the years is it connects the local farmer with the school and reunite the farmer with the community, we have found the linkages aren’t always there.
“It showcases to the students that agriculture pathways aren’t just about farming but regional communities have other career pathways in agriculture.
“Students don’t realise they can have a career in robotic science and have a career in agriculture too.”
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