It’s been a whole year since BCG communications and extension officer Jemma Pearl started her career with BCG. We caught up with Jemma to see how she’s finding it so far.
Tell us a bit about yourself?
Being born and raised a Wimmera Mallee girl it really didn’t surprise me that I ended up back in the area. I was born in Horsham and raised in Mildura, so I feel like I know this region like the back of my hand.
After finishing high school, I headed to the city to study a double degree in Agricultural Science and Business at LaTrobe University. Studying the double degree was probably the best decision I made, as it rounded out my knowledge of farming – the business component is just as important as agronomics. Â
When did you realise you wanted to have a career in agriculture?
I think the best advice you get given when thinking about a career is do something you’re good at and that you enjoy. I loved science and business subjects at school, so the aim was to find a career that would allow me to do both.
My original aim was to do law and science with a view to maybe working in agricultural policy, but when it was time to decide, the business degree was more appealing.
I feel that the career opportunities offered by agriculture are not understood by the wider population. You don’t have to be a farmer to work in the agricultural industry, you can be a lawyer, communicator, grain marketer, chemist, engineer or even work in policy. The opportunities are endless.
This is something that I am passionate about and lucky enough to have the opportunity through the Hugh Williamson scholarship to spend time formulating an extension project to highlight these opportunities. Outputs from this scholarship will occur throughout the year, and I can’t wait to show everyone what I have been working on.
What do you enjoy about working in the industry? What highlights have you had working or studying in the industry so far?
I enjoy the diversity of work – I get to think and work in a multitude of different areas and different ways. Science, farm business, economics, creative writing, technology, graphic design and media are a small snippet of what my role at BCG includes, and that’s what makes it so much fun.
My agriculture highlight so far would have to be a trip to India with my University in 2015. To experience the agricultural industry in a different country was thought provoking and eye opening. Â
Who have been the biggest influencers on your career and why?
I’ll probably get in trouble for saying this, but it’s the truth – I would have to say without a doubt the biggest influencer on my career would be my father.
His passion and enthusiasm for the industry is something that has rubbed off on me. In a short car ride with Dad we can find the answer to all the industry’s issues, it’s just the small issue of implementation and available time that stumps us!
What interests do you have outside of work?
I’m always a sucker for a local community organisation. I’ve just finished up my involvement with the Swan Hill Farmers Market committee, and am looking for my next opportunity.
At the moment, I’m enjoying spending as much time outside as possible – gardening, walking/hiking, playing netball and just relaxing.
Who would you invite to your ultimate dinner party and why? (dead or alive?)
I couldn’t narrow it down – there are just too many. I might change the question to what would the ultimate dinner party look like. It would have to be on the Murray somewhere, one of my happy places. Good food and wine would be a necessity, oh and a fire. Â
Where do you see Agriculture heading in the next 10 to 20 years?
The possibilities are endless – both scary and exciting.
It feels like the industry has a bazillion balls in the air and it will be interesting to see which ones fall. But that is also what makes the industry so interesting. Each ball is completely different and requires new and different skill sets. Technology, climate change, animal health, policy, public perception, data, and water are just a few of the issues that will continue to affect the way we produce food into the future.
Maybe in the future no one will live outside the big cities. All management decisions could be made remotely, with the multitude of ag robots going about the tasks that were traditionally undertaken by humans. Probably not within the next 10 to 20 years though!
