– by Laila Reilly
I’m a year 10 student at Ballarat Grammar School. I completed work experience at BCG from the 7th to the 11th of August and was part of a range of activities both in the lab and out in the field.
My family farms at Corack, located between Birchip and Donald. I chose BCG as while I’m unsure about my career pathway, I’m interested in agriculture and am familiar with the aspects of farming including crop growth and livestock. My mother, Dr Cherie Reilly, worked at BCG, which helped me gain an understanding of what a role at BCG encompasses before my work experience began.
During my time at BCG, I worked alongside BCG Operations Manager Genevieve Clarke undertaking biomass cuts and assisting with the treatment of different applications as well as assessing growth stages of crops, giving me an insight into the plant’s response to herbicide or fertiliser application depending on its stage of development.
In the laboratory, I undertook disease assessments and the investigation of soils, recording data from the findings to build an understanding of how different aspects can affect the growth of crops. I also gained an understanding of the way BCG completes its research and the wide area staff travel to visit BCG’s various trial sites, including their Main Field Day site at Kinnabulla.
I really enjoyed my week at BCG. It gave me an insight into how a business such as this is run, gaining experience in agricultural research and the different roles that occur in the agricultural workforce. Thank you to BCG for giving me this opportunity.
