When people picture the dairy industry, they often think of cows and paddocks. For Matthew Dwyer from Bega Group, the real action is inside the factory.
“The factories are probably the most interesting part for me,” he said. “There’s lots of machinery, equipment and technology. It’s a great space to make a difference.”
Matthew is the Manufacturing Solutions Architect at Bega’s Koroit site. Over six years, he’s mentored Monash University interns through the Gardiner-backed MITI program, which connected multidisciplinary student teams with real industry challenges.
“We ran three internship rounds and even hired one of our top-performing interns as a graduate engineer,” he said.
Between 2013 and 2024, Gardiner invested more than $3.4 million in MITI, supporting 80 projects and 266 students across the Victorian dairy supply chain. The program delivered fresh thinking to businesses and valuable hands-on experience to students.
Matthew says the impact will endure.
“These internships are vital for the future of dairy and manufacturing. New digital technologies are changing everything, and bringing in new ideas from students sets us up for what’s ahead.”
In 2025, he joined the New Zealand Dairy Study Tour as a mentor, guiding emerging leaders, including two former MITI interns now working alongside him at Bega.
“It’s great to see it come full circle — the next generation learning, growing and staying in the industry.”
Watch Matthew’s story to see how Gardiner’s investment in innovation and people is shaping a smarter, more connected future for the dairy industry.