Australia
August 17, 2012
Eleven years ago when fourth-year University of New England (UNE) rural science student Sharon O’Keeffe was just hours from handing in her thesis the floppy disc corrupted and she lost half her work.
Jo Newton, Farming Futures chairperson and UNE PhD candidate; Sharon O’Keeffe, GRDC manager regional grower services – north; and Scott Hansen, MLA managing director at the GRDC Farming Futures dinner.
Today, in her role as Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) manager regional grower services – north, Ms O’Keeffe carries a tablet computer into the field and accesses cutting edge agronomic information.
Ms O’Keeffe returned to UNE recently to address 200 current students at the GRDC Farming Futures dinner run in conjunction with an agricultural careers fair aimed at linking the agricultural scientists of tomorrow with potential employers.
Her message was simple – the information and technology revolution has changed many things in the decade or more since she was at university, but the role of agronomists as “GPs for crops” is still critical.
“Field agronomy is a job for those who love being outdoors; having variety day-to-day; and most of all are passionate about agriculture,” she said.
“It is practical agriculture science at its best. It’s about knowing that you are helping to grow a crop from planning to planting through to harvest.”
Ms O’Keeffe joined fellow UNE rural science graduate, Scott Hansen, Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) managing director, in addressing the gathering. GRDC northern panellist Aaron Sanderson also attended.
"It was inspiring to see the interaction between students and industry,” Ms O’Keeffe said.
“The next crop of students is intelligent, articulate and passionate.
"There are vibrant careers available for these students, they just need to reach out and take them.”
She urged students to consider their degrees “jigsaw puzzles” that would fall into place as they developed their skills and knowledge.
“Over time, I remembered what my lecturers had taught me about systems – that if your nutrition or rotation wasn’t right then that impacted on weeds, diseases and insects.
“I remembered being told that in agriculture there is no golden bullet – if you push a system too hard then something else will come back and bite you.”
Ms O’Keeffe’s own career trajectory has taken her onto farms across the northern grains region and given her an appreciation of her university education and the role of GRDC in funding productivity advances for the industry.
“Agriculture has always been at the forefront of new technologies, new software, new chemicals, new tools, new applications – most of which I later learned were funded via the GRDC,” she said.
“This new role allows me to focus on ensuring that research is targeted at growers issues, that new varieties are bred to suit northern conditions, that new technologies are adopted by growers, and that the grains levy is the most profitable investment a grower makes.”
Ms O’Keeffe offered the following tips for career-building and job interviews:
- Find mentors and ask lots of questions.
- Be prepared for interviews – look at the company’s website.
- Sell your positives.
- Employers will check your Facebook page.
- Remember that the interviewers are usually sympathetic to applicants, particularly to new graduates.
- Most importantly let it be known that you actually want the job, and why you want it. Passion trumps a resume almost every time.
She recommended a career in agronomy for its potential impact on local communities and world food production.
“I still get to wear my boots to work; I still go to field days and interact with growers, agronomists and researchers,” she said.
“I still get to play a small part in ensuring that Australian agriculture remains productive, viable and sustainable and that there are vibrant careers for people like you in agriculture, growing the food that feeds the world.”
For more information on GRDC-funded research, visit www.grdc.com.au.
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