Over 20 poultry science students attended PoultryGrad 2019 for two days this month in Toowoomba, QLD. PoultryGrad provides students with the opportunity to meet people from industry and students from other universities. The event enables them to think and discuss their future careers, build peer networks and discuss how their research can benefit the poultry industry.
On the first day, which was hosted by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, six speakers from a variety of different backgrounds, including research, government, and industry, talked to the students about their current job role, career path, and experiences. The students had the opportunity to discuss their research and get career advice from all our speakers. They said they found this day ‘inspirational’ and ‘very useful to develop connections and explore career opportunities’. Following this, each student participated in a variety of activities designed to get them thinking about their own pathway and to build relationships with their peers.
On the second day, half the group visited a chicken hatchery and half visited a chicken breeder farm. Each group became completely immersed in what it is like to work and manage these farms. The students were very engaged asking the farm managers lots of questions. Many of the students that attend PoultryGrad have never been out on a farm and have had little or no direct contact with the poultry industry. Hence, many of the students were amazed by how much technology is involved in the poultry industry and how passionate the farmers are! The students stated the event was ‘phenomenal’ and ‘it was a wonderful event indeed for young poultry researchers’. Poultry Hub Australia is excited to watch and aid these students in establishing successful careers in the poultry industry.
We would like to thank all those that were involved in making PoultryGrad 2019 a huge success!
