Innovative project introduces students to agriculture and broadcasting

An innovative project, The Grass is Greener, has helped southwest Victorian students to learn about careers in agriculture and to develop a greater understanding of how the media operates. It has also helped them to improve their confidence, and written and oral skills.

The project was created to help address the region's skills shortage in agriculture.

The participating students—from eight schools in the region—took part in training, site visits and producing radio programs about people working in agriculture.

During the half day of training, students learned about job opportunities in agriculture and about broadcasting equipment and techniques, such as how to conduct an interview and use a microphone. They also prepared a plan and running sheet for the radio programs.

As part of the site visits, students visited their interview subjects at their places of work. This gave them first-hand experience of the workplace and the work environment. They also visited a dairy to learn about modern dairy farming.

Students then produced a series of one-hour radio programs, each containing two interviews with local identities involved in the agricultural sector, as well as music and chat. The programs aired on community radio station, Otway FM, during December.

The project was developed by the South West Local Learning and Employment Network Local Community Partnership, the Regional Industry Career Adviser, Youth Pathways, Westvic Dairy, and representatives from industry and the schools. The Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal provided financial assistance.

The students were from the following schools: Camperdown College, Cobden Technical School, Derrinallum P-12 College, Hampden Specialist School, Mercy College, Mortlake P-12 College, Terang P-12 College and Timboon P-12 School.

After such a successful start, Jason Beveridge of the Local Community Partnership says the project will be repeated in 2007 with even more people involved.