Agriculture Victoria and the Koorie Outcomes Unit in the Department of Education and Training (DET) are sponsoring an exciting new program to encourage Koorie students to consider primary industry science careers.
A multi-disciplinary team comprising Country Education Partnership, Meridian Agriculture and Atkinson Consulting Group, is delivering the program on behalf of the project sponsors.
The program aims to encourage secondary students to pursue agricultural related science careers. This involves students learning and applying science to resolve a real life local industry issue. It is an active learning model that has long lasting industry, community and individual benefits.
Koorie students in years 7 to 9 are the primary target although the program is open to all students to encourage diversity and inclusion.
The focus of the program is on local education communities across Victoria who have Koorie students enrolled in their schools. Seven schools have agreed to deliver it in 2017. Each delivery location will have a working group that will be responsible for creating the learning activities with support from curriculum experts. Membership will include the School, LAECG, local industry, Traditional Owners, Agriculture Victoria, DET and the program coordinators.
The individual projects will involve the students in a range of authentic science focused learning activities within their classrooms, on the ground with industry, within specialist industry laboratories and with each other considering both the Indigenous and western science approaches.
The program also aims to raise awareness of students, schools, parents and Indigenous Elders about primary industries and career pathways and the potential benefits they may provide to Koorie communities. A unique aspect of the program is that it will involve Indigenous and western science concepts.
The program is based on research undertaken by Agriculture Victoria, in response the low number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians in the primary industries science workforce.
It links strongly with the DET’s “Marrung Education Framework”. The program will be delivered over three years.
If you would like further information on the Engaging Koorie Young People in Agriculture Science project, please drop us a line.
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