Background

The vision of the PICSE GrowSmart program has broadened over its years of operation. The program went from being predominantly focussed on attracting students and teachers to opportunities in the horticulture sector to now focussing on the whole of primary industries sector – including horticulture, aquaculture, cropping, wine, environmental science, value chain opportunities and the science of climate change and climate variability.

The GrowSmart concept arose from a Riverland Forum convened by the Riverland Horticultural Council Inc (RHC) in September 2003 to discuss local industry skill requirements. Subsequently a working group was convened to further develop a proposed "SA Schools, University, Industry Interface Project" in collaboration with Dr David Russell from the University of Tasmania (Cradle Coast Campus), who had successfully implemented similar programs in both Tasmania and Western Australia.

Independently in September 2003, a scoping study - “Strategy to attract young people to horticulture”, was commissioned by the National Horticulture Research Network (NHRN), through Horticulture Australia Limited (HAL) and supported by Australian Society of Horticultural Science (AuSHS). This indicated that the horticulture/agriculture sector is largely unknown as a career. They concluded there is a need to publicise horticulture as a career option and to demonstrate good horticultural career paths to young people, adding steps are needed to better bring together job seekers with employers.

Further, research undertaken by the Riverland Horticultural Council during 2006 found there a severe shortage of qualified Science Graduates to fill science career opportunities in the local horticulture industries. These positions include:

• Consultancy Services in agronomy, fertigation, irrigation, pest management and Pasture management.
• Managers of orchards, vineyards, for both family farms and managed investment schemes.
• Sales and Marketing Personnel, obliging many companies to locate their marketing divisions in capital cities.
• Research Scientists in research organisations such as PIRSA, SARDI, Universities and CSIRO.
• Food Scientists for quality control, research and health and safety in the production of foods and beverages related to fruit juice production, dried and fresh fruit, wine and almonds.
• Technology graduates in production and packaging lines.

The PICSE GrowSmart program is designed to address the growing skills gap and graduate shortage in our primary industries through fostering student interest in science. Through the program activities, we hope to encourage students to study science at university, and to consider a career in an expanding and increasingly science based primary industries sector.