Assistant Agriculture Minister Senator the Hon Anthony Chisolm with Alex Lashchuck and Lucy Gregg from AUSVEG and Adam Fennessy from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, launching the new Careers in Horticulture guide at Hort Connections in Brisbane.

Senator the Hon Anthony Chisholm, Assistant Minister for Agriculture, launched the latest edition of the AUSVEG Growing a Career in Horticulture at Hort Connections 2025 today in Brisbane. The guidebook illustrates the many and varied exciting options available for beginning a career in the horticultural sector.

The guide provides insight into the many diverse career paths horticulture provides ranging from robotics and sustainability to marketing, logistics, science, and business leadership. It tells the back story of many already working in the sector such as Arman Berkett-Saleh, who is an irrigation specialist and left a career in mining and geology to grow strawberries in Queensland. There is also Ruby Daly, the Business Development Manager at Daly Farms who started Hellfire Bluff Distillery in Tasmania. The guide also looks at the opportunities for backpackers like Jason and Ashley from Taiwan who are working in skilled roles in the packing shed at Premium Fresh in northern Tasmania.

“The careers resource debunks the misconception that careers in horticulture are physical farm work with low pay,” said AUSVEG CEO Michael Coote.

Assistant Agriculture Minister Senator the Hon Anthony Chisolm launching the new Careers in Horticulture guide at Hort Connections in Brisbane.

“Growing a Career in Horticulture is a guide for everyone from school leavers to university graduates to professionals considering a career change. It shows the pathways into the industry ranging from apprenticeships, vocational training, university degrees, and on-the-job learning. It does not matter what your background is, there is a place for you in horticulture and room to grow.”

The guide is part of the Growing Your Career in Horticulture project which is being run by AUSVEG with the support of Hort Innovation’s Vegetable Fund and Australian Government funding. Since 2022 it has also produced a suite of short videos, many featuring some of the industry members seen in the guide, not only talking about what they do, but actually doing it.

“This is the second edition of the Growing a Career in Horticulture guide. The first was produced in 2023 and at conferences, trade shows and field days it has proved a favourite among our visitors. We have also had interest from many education institutions, career counsellors, and workforce recruiters wanting to provide it to students, as well as parents, to increase awareness on horticulture as an exciting and achievable future career option,” said Mr Coote.

For more information or to access the guide, visit Growing a Career in Horticulture.