Hay Business Excellence Awards: Ambassador Award - Hay Inc

Pictured at ‘Rosedale’during week two of Hay Inc 2023 Program are: Sandra Ireson, Bede Schiller, students Keira Telford, Emilia Browne, Max Cooper, Thomas Spence and tutors Sandy Symons, and Tom Porter.

The Hay Inc Rural Education Program is a three-week course run in the Hay district, over a five-month period generally aligning with farming seasons. It provides hands-on training modules covering all the necessary skills of stockmanship in sheep, cattle and farming skills.

Hay Inc committee recently won Ambassador Award at the 2023 Hay business Excellence Awards. The committee that run the program are volunteers who are invested in the agricultural industry, and/or concerned with its progress. In this modern, ever-changing world, the number of youths choosing to embark on a career in the agriculture industry was declining, and those choosing to do so had considerable gaps in the skills needed to thrive in the area. Farmers were at a loss, and there was no available training or answer to the problem. Until a few local ingenious people in the industry put their heads together.

“In 2012 I had a Sydney youth group from a Sydney School, come down to Hay for a week of farm experience through an industry leadership project I was completing,” Sandra Ireson, Project Manager of Hay Inc said.

“We were at the pool, and crossed paths with Sandy Symons, who was another person in the agriculture industry that knew we needed to take action to solve the gap in youth in agriculture, and it all came together.

“Chris Bowman and Richard Cannon have also been instrumental in developing the program from its inception.”

Sandy had recently been on a plane with a representative of Tocal College, with whom he discussed the idea. He had long discussed something along these lines, and the representative agreed that there was a legitimate need. After extensive discussion with farmers, people in the industry, Council and other relevant parties, it was determined that this idea of an educational program with networking and mentoring would be instrumental in closing the skills and knowledge gap, giving youth opportunities, and drawing them to the district.

Nine years later, and the concept only continues to thrive and grow.

“We’re very proud of the win,” Cofounder Sandy Symons said. “Our project entering its ninth year, and we are proud of the training that we have all worked hard to organise and provide, and also immensely proud of the students taught.”

This year, the cohort are learning skills including simple fencing construction and maintenance, cattle handling, pregnancy scan demonstration, lamb post mortems, butchering demonstration, motorbike repairs and operate quad bike and 2 wheel bikes, first aid and wellbeing, sheep handling. They will also learn sheep judging, and compete in the Youth judging competition and graduate at the Hay Sheep Show in June.

All of the founders, the committee, and volunteers do everything they can to provide the high-quality programs year after year. The formula and structure they use works, so they listen keenly to feedback from employers and the students, and tweak things wherever needed. Student feedback is highly positive, with superlative five-star reviews from both students and employers on the Hay Inc website speaking for themselves.

“I am pleased to be involved and volunteer for such a successful agricultural careers program, and imparting these basic but essential skills onto further generations,” Bede Schiller said.

“It is fascinating to see the different farms, and their working processes,” 2023 program participant Emilia Browne said.

“We are all enjoying the program, it is interesting on many levels.”

Other communities, such as Emerald, Queensland, have followed suit, implementing their own programs that echo the structure of Hay Inc. Recently benefitting from Nutrien Ag community grant, and various government grants to keep funding the program. They also benefit from generous sponsorships and key partner Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) has supported the program since it started in 2014.

“The Hay community has been so incredibly supportive during the entire span of Hay Inc,” Sandra added.

“Regardless of requirements, all of the businesses are always have been quick to provide much valued service and assistance.”

“There is usually a waiting list for the program. We take expressions of interest for the program all year round and then applicants open in August usually the year before, we then interview and have participants enrolled by the December to commence the program in February.

“Our diverse committee ensures that we get expert assistance, advice and input on every level.”