BCG is in the second year of a partnership with the Hugh DT Williamson Foundation, a philanthropic foundation aiming to provide support and strengthen communities in rural Victoria. This is being achieved by providing opportunities for education and building leadership skills in young people of these areas.
The Williamson Foundation Scholarships has given four young BCG professionals the opportunity to investigate and complete a project that addresses an identified knowledge gap in the agricultural industry.
In doing so, these graduates are learning to develop their leadership skills and the responsibility to research a new and innovative concept under the guidance of local farmers and more experienced BCG staff.
These are opportunities that are normally reserved for more experienced and senior staff and the early exposure to project design, on-the-go problem solving and wide consultation with staff and industry experts has already proven to be beneficial.
One of the 2016 recipients Sebastian Ie, said the Scholarship provided him with the opportunity to develop on personal and professional levels.
“It challenged and stretched me, and has helped build a solid foundation for my career to make a meaningful, positive contribution to the agricultural community.”
Hugh Williamson (1901-1985) began his working life at the age of 16 at the Ballarat Banking Company, eventually working his way up to become the manager of the ANZ bank. He spent his early years in rural Victoria working in Warrnambool, Traralgon and Wycheproof and following his working life, dedicated himself to giving back to the community, ending with the establishment of the Hugh DT Williamson Foundation in his will.
So far, four BCG staff members, Sebastian, Jessica Lemon, Jemma Pearl and Amy Smith have benefitted from the initiative. Sebastian, Jessica and Amy designed and carried out field research while Jemma’s project is an industry communications activity.
Sebastian and Jessica’s work was conducted in 2016 and used drone technology to assess the economic impacts of applying variable rate applications on a paddock scale, and the effects of grazing barley sown on different row spacings, respectively.
This year, Jemma, who is an extension and communications officer at BCG, is focusing on understanding the drivers to getting young people involved in careers in the agriculture industry. Jemma aims to develop an extension tool that can be used by institutions such as schools and universities to highlight the potential pathways for people to enter the industry. She is interviewing a range of agricultural professionals to highlight the varied roles possible.
Amy, a member of the BCG research team is undertaking a project to trial the triumphs and challenges of using a shielded sprayer to control weeds in a more targeted application.
Sebastian has continued his role in developing BCG’s precision agriculture program which has seen it extend in 2017 to more research locations and programs in local schools.
Jessica has since left BCG, but has taken her skills to South Australia taking up a role with Rural Skills Training, an organisation providing education and training to the agricultural industry in partnership with the National Farmers Federation.
BCG is grateful for the Hugh DT Williamson Foundation’s support to enable these young professionals to develop their interests, further their careers in agriculture and contribute to the rural communities where they live.
