The strength of Dookie Agricultural College for developing young rural careers is alive and well, with graduate Emily Corbett already joining the Australian team of one of the world’s highest quality water soluble fertiliser manufacturers, Haifa Group. Emily has been based at her family’s apple and pear property at Seville in Victoria’s Yarra Valley, and it has been a case of the proverbial fruit not falling far from the tree when it comes to her career aspirations.

The family grows predominantly apples and some pears at Seville, as well as strawberries on another property at Wandin North. Cherries also were grown earlier; a time of fond memories for Emily, when she was involved with picking and packing in the warehouse alongside her siblings and cousins. Her cousins still work on the properties today.

Emily recently completed a Bachelor of Agriculture, majoring in plant and soil science, from the University of Melbourne. Her studies included a stint at its Dookie Campus, where she also achieved a Certificate III in Agriculture. Classes at Dookie involved more hands-on learning in field situations.

Emily said despite the degree being more focused on broadacre agriculture, her interest had always been in horticulture.

“Broadacre agriculture is not as in-depth and I don’t have a strong interest in animals,’’ Emily said.

“Everything about horticulture interests me. I like to understand how everything works and to figure out how it works. It is more intensive, and each element influences everything.

“I also started my degree with an agriculture economics major, but I didn’t want to be cooped-up in an office.’’

Emily recently relocated to Bayswater in Melbourne’s outer-east, and said she was excited to join a large-scale company with such unique, high quality fertilisers and a footprint in many different countries around the world.

Emily initially joined Haifa Australia two days a week as a Trainee Agronomist while completing her degree and moved into a full-time position at the start of February. As part of the trainee program, Emily worked with retired Haifa Southern Agronomist Shaul Gilan and said she had gained enormous learnings.

Haifa Australia Managing Director Trevor Dennis is also a Dookie Agricultural College graduate. Trevor said he was pleased to continue the tradition of Dookie students joining the company’s ranks.

“Emily already has shown great enthusiasm and an eagerness to learn,” he said.

Trevor said the Dookie Campus had great relationships with various organisations across the agricultural sector that provided students with experience and, in numerous cases, a pathway for commencing their careers.

Dookie Campus Director Ros Gall and Dookie Agricultural College graduate Emily Corbett.

Dookie Campus Director Ros Gall has chalked up 32 years at the agricultural facility and has had a hand in many of those careers. Focused on agricultural sciences, the Dookie Campus accommodates about 200 students a year.

“There is strong demand for our program and our graduates. Demand for studying an agricultural degree has been increasing since 2012,’’ Ros said.

“Around 86-87 per cent of students have jobs within three months of graduation. We have been amazed this year at how many have picked up jobs, considering the year we have had with the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Students have the option to do internships with suitable organisations, while Dookie Campus also runs a mentoring program for students linked with industry partners. A 2,400-hectare working farm located in the productive and diverse agricultural area also provides for plenty of engagement with production agriculture and has proved vital, considering 85 per cent of students are from metropolitan areas.

For more information, please visit the Dookie Campus website. Further information about Haifa Australia can be found here.

(1st photo caption: Dookie Agricultural College graduate Emily Corbett (centre) with Haifa Australia Managing Director Trevor Dennis (right). They are pictured with Dookie Campus Director Ros Gall.)