An Evaluation of Secondary Agricultural Education Subject Offerings and Enrolments in Australia

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47381/aijre.v35i2.813

Keywords:

Agriculture, education, agricultural literacy, secondary school students, Australia

Abstract

Over recent decades in Australia, secondary and tertiary institution enrolments and completions in agriculture-related courses have been inadequate for the employment demand that exists. This demand, inter alia, includes the well-publicised global issues of climate change, food security and the need to feed a significantly larger population. This paper presents a study of the current secondary agricultural education system across states and territories in Australia and evaluates its performance as it endeavours to meet the workforce needs of the nation’s agricultural industries. The data reveal a plateau in university agriculture graduate numbers, although variable between states. The need to increase intakes to expand graduate numbers represents a challenge because of the decline in numbers of secondary school agriculture course participants, an important component of the pipeline. The variability in offerings across states and territories in secondary agricultural education appears to be a blockage in the system such that students in some states, and regions within states, have little opportunity to follow that line of study. Increasing supply of students into university courses in agriculture is the major challenge in addressing the workforce shortfall. There needs to be improvements in secondary student exposure to agriculture and the buoyant employment opportunities both on-farm and off-farm, including in the cities. An increase in agricultural literacy of school student advisers, i.e. parents and teachers, would seem to be an important endeavour.   

Author Biographies

Scott Graham, Charles Sturt University, Barker College

Scott teaches secondary school Agriculture to Years 9-12 students and is Head of Agriculture at Barker College in Sydney. He is also undertaking a PhD by publication in Agricultural Education through Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga. Scott’s research interests include increasing engagement and enrolments of metropolitan secondary students in agriculture courses and subsequently increasing university enrolments in agriculture-related degrees amongst students of that background.

Jim Pratley, Charles Sturt University, Gulbali Institute

Jim is Emeritus Professor of Agriculture at Charles Sturt University. His research has focused on conservation agriculture, weed science / management and agricultural education and workforce.

David Randall, Western Sydney University

David Randall works part-time at Western Sydney University as an Education Officer working in curriculum development and delivery. Formerly a high school agriculture teacher with over 30 years of experience, He has developed agriculture curricula for NESA in NSW and for the Australian curriculum with ACARA. David has extensive experience in agricultural assessment through his roles in writing and marking NSW HSC examinations.

Jeff McCormick, Charles Sturt University, School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Sciences

Jeff teaches pastures and rangeland agronomy at CSU as well as postgraduate subjects on Sustainable Future Agriculture Systems. Current research includes mixed-farming systems, agrivoltaics, hard seeded pasture legumes, phalaris management and dual-purpose crops. Jeff has undertaken work in Cambodia and Laos on dry season cropping and developed an Agricultural TVET system in Papua New Guinea. Previously Jeff taught plant science at Lincoln University, New Zealand. Prior to moving to New Zealand Jeff researched pastures with NSW Department of Primary Industries and completed his PhD at CSU on dual-purpose canola.

AIJRE 35(2) Cover Page

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Published

29-07-2025

How to Cite

Graham, S., Pratley, J., Randall, D., Gill, L., & McCormick, J. (2025). An Evaluation of Secondary Agricultural Education Subject Offerings and Enrolments in Australia. Australian and International Journal of Rural Education, 35(2), 70–91. https://doi.org/10.47381/aijre.v35i2.813

Issue

Vol. 35 No. 2 (2025): Improving Rural and Regional Student Experiences

Section

JOURNAL PAPERS

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Scott Graham, Professor Jim Pratley, David Randall, Lincoln Gill, Jeff McCormick

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