Program: Building Human Capacity (BHC)

Program Goal

To build human capacity and skill to deliver transformational change for profitable, socially and environmentally responsible and drought resilient agricultural systems and supply chains.

The Building Human Capacity program has identified a range of themes and activities to grow and develop regional capability and is working with relevant Nodes to deliver these activities. 

Theme 1: Educational Pathways and Industry Placements

Education and industry opportunities will grow capability across the sector increasing the pipeline of talent for current and future opportunities. Activities include:

  • Delivering a School to Industry Partnership Program where secondary students can apply to undertake a three-day intensive tour of agribusinesses in their region.

  • Delivering a JCU Work Integrated Learning Programs through TNQ Hub Nodes where undergraduate and postgraduate students can apply their learnings in a real-world professional environment.

  • Building networks and relationships with training, educational, and extension organisations to contribute to educational pathways and identify opportunities to increase practical competencies.

  • Offering TNQ Hub scholarships (full time and top-up) that are more regionally focused approach and will build academic knowledge in the agricultural sector.  To view these Scholarship recipients, click here

Theme 2: Governance & Financial Literacy

Increased Governance and Financial literacy will contribute to the building of community capacity and strengthen their wellbeing and social capital. Activities include:

  • Delivering a governance and a regional financial skills workshop through industry partners to build community capability.

  • Exploring opportunities to upskill small business or enterprise skills to increase community capability.

Theme 3: Succession Planning and Leadership Skills

Building leadership capability in the sector will enable better business decisions and improve people management skills. Activities include:

  • Delivering a regional leadership program to build community capability, resilience and adaptability, and future focused decision making.

Theme 4: Accessible Information & Data Analysis

  • Contribute to building inherent skills and capability by increasing awareness of available programs and tools to enable more future focused decision making. Activities include:
  • Delivering a stakeholder training workshop or forum with sessions from services such as Climate Mates, LongPaddock and Climate Services for Agriculture.
  • Developing training materials and information videos with industry experts to increase adoption behaviours. Watch our Industry Expert Video Series

Theme 5: Social and Behavioural Change

Identify potential opportunities in existing resilience programs. Activities include:

  • Engaging with GrazingFutures Livestock Business Resilience Program to identify gaps and potential future opportunities to support decision making and build economic resilience in the region.
Building Human Capacity Themes mapped to the Ag Queensland Agriculture Industry Workforce Plan 2022-2027 focus areas:
Ag Queensland Agriculture Industry Workforce Plan Building Capacity Program
Adaptability: Growing business capability for innovation and adaption to change.
Social and Behavioural Change: Engage with Grazing Futures Program to identify gaps and potential future opportunities for the region to support decision making. Accessible Information & Data Analysis: Enable more future focused decision making. Knowledge transfer from industry experts to develop a range of resources to provide access to important industry knowledge.
Attraction: Growing a diverse and inclusive future agriculture workforce
Educational Pathways & Linkages: Contribute to educational pathways and identify opportunities to increase practical competencies and a more regionally focused approach to scholarships.
Retention: Growing agriculture careers and growth opportunities and becoming employers of choice.
Industry Placements & Associated Activities: JCU Work Integrated Learning Programs through Regional Nodes.
Skilling: Growing future workforce in agriculture
Industry Placements & Associated Activities: Engaged in Secondary school-based programs. Governance & Financial Literacy: Deliver governance skill workshops, coordinate regional financial skill workshops, and small business or enterprise skill workshops. Succession Planning & Leadership Skills: Deliver a regional leadership program.

Jane Oorschot

Program Lead

Jane has extensive experience in human resource management, has held both technical and managerial roles in the public and private sectors, and has been a Senior Lecturer for several years.

Jane’s recent PhD explored the psychological contract, leadership, and employee engagement.

Jane’s skills will support the development of programs to enhance work skills through micro-credentials, industry research internships and other learning and developmental opportunities across the TNQ region.