It’s not every day a government minister comes to class, and when they do it’s often to announce a grant or tour a new facility.

But when Western Australian Minister for Agriculture and Food; Forestry; Small Business Hon. Jackie Jarvis MLC visited Murdoch recently, her remit was clear – to share her experience in the agriculture industry and provide insight into the many and varied careers on offer.

Minister Jarvis - a vineyard-owner, farmer, and 2014 WA Rural Woman of the Year - met students from ANS303 Livestock Industry Career Readiness, a new unit being taught in the School of Agricultural Sciences.

Senior Research Fellow Dr Bronwyn Clarke, together with Unit Co-ordinator Professor Andrew Thompson and Dr Lea Labour, co-ordinated the Minister's visit.

Dr Clarke said the third-year unit had incredible industry support and its development was made possible by funding from Australian Wool Innovation.

“We provide students with a network to help them enter the industry upon graduation and skills to further extend it down the track,” Dr Clarke said.

“Part of the unit involves meeting with industry representatives so we reached out to the Minister and she agreed to come Murdoch and meet with our students."

Dr Clarke said Minister Jarvis has a vast understanding of the agriculture industry through her work as a farmer, regional businesswoman and in the public service, as well as a long history of advocating for communities in regional WA.

“The Minister was fantastic and very down-to-earth in sharing her real-world experiences and answering questions from the students," she said.

Furthermore, the AG4U Career Pipeline Program, which matches final year WA university students with industry mentors, has been incorporated into the new ANS303 career readiness unit at Murdoch.

Students have also enjoyed an industry tour of the State’s southwest where they were welcomed onto sheep, cattle, pig, and dairy farms, visited feedlots and an abattoir, and attended a dinner sponsored by AWI with local sheep producers.

Dr Clarke said through ANS303 Livestock Industry Career Readiness the students learn vital networking and job interview skills and make valuable industry connections that will set them on the path to a successful career in agriculture.