Queensland agriculture is enjoying a good run, with the most recent estimate valuing farm gate GVP and first-stage processing at $19.95 billion. This is 20 per cent higher than the average for the past five years. There is a lot to be excited about – new markets, technologies, industries and jobs – if we get the settings right.
While the value of Queensland agriculture has continued to surge, the overall level of employment within the sector has weakened. There are some notable industry exceptions – for example, the level of employment in the mushroom and vegetable industry in Queensland increased by 69 per cent – but we are seeing a transition.
The state’s agricultural workforce is undergoing a sizable shift in required roles. Automation and technology continue to affect agriculture, and new jobs that require skills not traditionally linked to farming are increasingly in demand. Employment is changing with a move away from traditional labour-intensive production work, combined with the increased consolidation of farming operations.
At a national level, statistics show there has been a decrease in the number of owner managers, particularly those individual owner farm operators, without employees. The consolidation of farming operations means dealing with the needs of a larger business. This has resulted in an increase in demand for farm managers, specialists and technical advisers. Vacancies within the production management category have more than doubled since June 2015 (Jobs Index Data by Rimfire Resources). In the same period, the sector experienced an overall decline in employment numbers.
What this means for the sector is there is a growing professionalisation of roles to support the changing nature of modern farming businesses. There is a shifting expectation on what is required of those who wish to enter agriculture and maintain their employment towards higher skilled and specialised jobs.
When you couple this trend with the fact that 49 per cent of those employed as farm managers are aged over 55, a unique opportunity presents itself for the next generation. With over 71,371 people across Australian agriculture likely to leave the workforce in the next 10 years, there has never been a more exciting time to enter a sector that is demanding higher skills and higher professionalism.
The challenge for the sector is to ensure we get the right policy settings, and education and training providers that allow us to build a workforce that sustains changes into the future. The skills required to best service agriculture in the future should be forecast and identified now. Government must provide support for upskilling through the funding of Skill Sets, so our workforce is not left behind as technology advances at an ever-increasing rate.
While agriculture remains the most diverse job market of any sector in the economy, the rapid pace of digitalisation, mechanisation and the Internet of Things (IoT) are challenging current industry roles, education and training requirements. The Queensland Farmers’ Federation (QFF) looks forward to continuing its role as the facilitator of the Rural Jobs and Skills Alliance (RJSA), working alongside industry members and governments in providing leadership and advice on behalf of Queensland agriculture.
