Nearly halfway through his Bachelor of Agriculture/Bachelor of Business at the University of New England (UNE) at Armidale, NSW, student Hamish Smith took up the opportunity of a lifetime to travel with 28 fellow uni students to California, Colorado, Wyoming and Texas.
“In April, I went on an agribusiness study tour through UNE. It was my first time overseas. We visited farms, agricultural processors, water management facilities, research centres, input suppliers, training centres and entrepreneurs,” Hamish said.
Hamish grew up on a dairy farm in Saint Germains, a small rural locality near Kyabram, Victoria. In 2023, he became a Gardiner Foundation Tertiary Scholar, and gets $10,000 annually for three years to support costs associated with his studies through the Neil Black Scholarship.
He said UNE was a top choice given it’s regionally based, “It was important for me to study in the country. I find country people are more agriculturally minded, and you tend to have more in common with people with similar backgrounds.”
“I went to the UNE open day, and it has certainly lived up to my expectations. I’ve met great people and become involved in different committees and groups, and just taken up opportunities as they’ve come up.”
Earlier this year, Hamish joined UNE’s Farming Futures committee and is a Careers Fair Coordinator, helping to run this year’s agricultural fair.
“I’ve been part of the organisation, working towards getting businesses to attend, approaching them and getting them on board. This is a big event for the sector, we’d expect a thousand students to attend and have the chance to talk face-to-face with employers who are showcasing different career options.”
“Last year, I spoke to a farmer from Wee Waa and ended up getting a work experience role on a cotton farm in the area. I have gained knowledge about an agricultural industry that I previously knew little about. It has also inspired me to consider cotton farming as a potential way to diversify our family farming business.”
“I hope the upcoming fair can help other people interested in agriculture make the same kind of connection.”
Hamish is also part of the Rural Science Undergraduate Society (RSUS), where he helps run the Ag Ball that serves as a fundraiser to run events like industry tours.
“Being part of these groups has been good for networking, building friendships, and also, when you’re on a committee, you learn a lot about human nature. But mainly, the most valuable aspect of being part of committees is the ability to work well in a team.”
Since commencing his course in 2023, Hamish has maintained an opportunistic mindset towards this chapter in his life and is hoping to be a member of the UNE Soil Judging and Meat Judging teams. Joining groups, going on study tours and gaining work experience have all led to more options when he finishes his double degree.
“Although I am completing an accounting major, which would still allow me to become an accountant, I am also looking into alternative careers potentially in rural banking and agribusiness management both of which background knowledge in accountancy would still be helpful.”
“The main reason is that I’ve realised there are many career options available with my double degree, and I don’t need to limit myself to just accounting,” Hamish said.
To learn more about Gardiner’s Tertiary Scholarships or to apply, visit: https://www.gardinerfoundation.com.au/ts