Employment prospectsThe Agriculture and Fishing industry employs around 36,500 South Australians, which is 4.5% of the State’s workforce.

About 2,500 new jobs are expected to open up over the next five years due to industry growth and replacement of people who will retire. Future employment opportunities in some areas of the industry are heavily influenced by external factors, such as drought and commodity prices.

Most people in this industry farm sheep or beef cattle, or grow grain or fruit. The Fishing and Aquaculture workforce is small when compared to the Agriculture workforce.

Most of the jobs are in regional South Australia, particularly in the South East, Riverland, Port Lincoln and Murray Mallee.

• Mostpeopleworkfull-time.

• Mostpeopleworkingintheindustrydonothaveaqualification,butifyouwanttogetaheadaqualificationishighlyrecommended.

• Aroundonefifthofworkersarewomen.

• Peopleworkingintheindustryaregenerallyolderthaninotherindustries.

• Toworkinthisindustryyouneedtobephysicallyfit,enjoyworkingoutdoorsinisolatedareasandbeabletoanalyseandsolveproblems.

• FarmHandsearnbetween$400and$800perweek,whileAgriculturalScientistsandInspectorscanearnbetween$1,000-$1,300perweek.

Quick facts about this industry

Agriculture, forestry and fishing including aquaculture

If you are at schoolFor vocational education in SACE, ask your VET coordinator at school, and visit www.sace.sa.edu.au to check the VET recognition register. Check the following industries to see which qualifications can be recognised in the SACE. Some of the Certificate III qualifications may be available for Training Guarantee for SACE Students.

• PrimaryIndustries• SeafoodIndustry

If you are thinking about VET, vocational qualifications include:

• CertificateI,II,IIIandIVinRuralOperations

• CertificateI,II,IIIandIVinAgriculturewithspecialisationsinbeef,dairy,goat,grain,horsebreeding,pig,poultry,sheep/woolandsugar

• CertificateI,II,III,IVandDiplomainSeafoodIndustrywithspecialisationsinaquaculture,fishingoperations,fisheriescompliance,environmental management, seafood processingandseafoodsalesanddistribution

• CertificateI,II,III,IVandDiplomainForestandForestProductswithspecialisationsinforestoperations,timberprocessing,timber truss and frame manufacture, timber truss and frame design

• DiplomaandAdvancedDiplomaofRuralBusinessManagement

• DiplomaandAdvancedDiplomaofAgriculture.

Top job openings

CropFarmers

LivestockFarmers

AquacultureFarmers

AgriculturalandForestryScientists

PrimaryProductsInspectors

skills.sa.gov.au 1800 506 266 10

For more information about the qualifications and where to go, check the job guide: www.jobguide.thegoodguides.com.au Check www.skills.sa.gov.au to see what courses are available under Skills for All.

If you are thinking about university, degrees include:

• BachelorofAgriculturalSciences• BachelorofAquaculture• BachelorofAquacultureandMarineBiology.

CheckthethreeSouthAustralianuniversitywebsitesandSouthAustralianTertiaryAdmissions Centre (SATAC) listed at the front of this guide. For more information about the qualifications and where to go, check the job guide: www.jobguide.thegoodguides.com.au

Occupations in this industryAgricultureAgriculture is the farming of plants and livestock for food and fibre - it is also referred to as Agrifood.Plantsincludenurseryandflowerproducts, mushrooms, vegetables, fruit, nuts, grain and other assorted crops, including vines andgrapes.Theprimarylivestockindustriesin Australia are beef cattle, sheep and lambs, pigs, goats, chicken, deer and horses.

Farmers and farm managers manage and organise farming operations to raise livestock and cultivate crops, fruit, vegetables and other agricultural products.

Agricultural technical officers provide complex technical support and advice on aspects of agriculture such as research, production, servicing and marketing.

Occupations in this industry include:

AgricultureandForestryAgricultural Technical OfficersBeekeepersCrop FarmersFarm HandsFarmer/FarmManagersHorseManagersHuntersJackaroos/JillaroosLivestock FarmersPiggeryTechniciansPoultryFarmersPrimaryProductsInspectorsRuralHeavyVehicleOperatorsScientists.

Aquaculture and fishingAquaculture is the cultivation of aquatic life under controlled conditions, and includes catching, culturing, farming and harvesting marineandinlandaquaticlife.Itincludes:

• algalculture,whichistheproductionof kelp, seaweed and other algae

• fishfarming

• shellfishfarming

• growingofculturedpearls.

Fish farm hands assist with growing and cultivating finfish or shellfish and maintaining fish farmpremisesandequipment.Mostfishfarmsare marine-based and in sheltered waters.

Occupations in this industry include:

Aquaculture FarmersAquaculture TechniciansDeck HandsDiversFish Farm HandsFisheries OfficersMasterFishersPrimaryProductsInspectors.

Forestry and loggingForestryandloggingincludesgrowingtimberinnativeorplantationforests,specificallyforloggingpurposes.Othersmayshapeproductssuchasrailwaysleepers,postsandfirewoodor gather other forest products such as mushrooms and kauri gum used in varnishes.

Occupations in this industry include:

Forest Technical OfficersForest WorkersForestersSaw Doctors.

Support servicesSupport Services are as diverse as wool classing,aerialcropspraying,mustering,seeding,planting and pruning trees, artificial insemination, fruit or vegetable picking services and operating tree nurseries for forest plantation.

Occupations in this industry link to the:• AnimalCareandTrainingindustry• ConservationandLand

Managementindustry• FoodandBeverage

Processingindustry• Horticultureindustry• Scienceindustry• TransportandStorageindustry• Waterindustry.

Need more info?

PrimaryIndustriesSkillsCouncilSAIncwww.pisc.org/au/careers.html

AgrifoodSkillsCouncilSectorreportwww.agrifoodskills.net.au/publications/scan/2011

AgrifoodCareerswww.agrifoodcareers.com.au/home.php?id=1

www.thejoboutlook.gov.au

www.jobguide.thegoodguides.com.au

Career information about specific occupations has been sourced from www.myfuture.com.au and industry skills bodies. South Australian labour market information has been sourced from ABS Catalogue 6291.0.55.003 Labour Force, average of 4 quarters to November quarter 2011. South Australian information on Age, Region and Income has been sourced from the Australian Census of Population and Housing 2006. Job Openings information is sourced from the South Australian Training and Skills Commission, (unpublished) 2011.© Copyright 2012 Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills

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