Marcus Oldham Agribusiness and Equine Business Management students undertook four weeks of industry-based placement in September, gaining valuable experience through the College’s program designed to professionally prepare them for the workforce.
This invaluable hands-on experience offers students a unique opportunity to learn directly from seasoned professionals while applying their theoretical and practical knowledge in real-world settings.
The practical placement is completed at a workplace that is matched with students’ personal learning and career goals.
Meg Grogan – Coles Head Office
Final year Agribusiness student Meg Grogan spent her placement at the Coles’ head office in Melbourne, where she shadowed the head of Integrated Business Planning and Livestock for two weeks.
For Meg, her highlight was seeing the whole paddock-to-plate process, and how much actually goes into the meat side of Coles.
“This included the different processing plants, farms and value-add plants involved in Coles.
“It was amazing to see how much goes into setting up a store, building new products – always ensuring the customer is front of mind with everything they do.”
Meg believes the industry placement program at Marcus provides the opportunity for students to see different businesses of all sizes and how they play a crucial role in agriculture.
“And I saw how many different opportunities there are within a business like Coles.”
Kai de Lacy & Max Bidstrup – GrainCorp Singapore
Final year Agribusiness students Kai de Lacy & Max Bidstrup spent two weeks in Singapore, working alongside the GrainCorp international trading team, experiencing a wide range of operations, from shipping logistics and freight management, to contracts, executions, and grain and futures trading.
While the complexity of each role limited their ability to assist with daily operations, the team took the time to teach Kai and Max about global trade flows and the intricate processes that underpin them.
They said the Marcus industry placement program gives students the opportunity to consolidate what they have learnt throughout the curriculum and apply them in the real world.
The considerable focus in second year Agribusiness on supply chain management and international trade set Kai and Max up with a base level of understanding that they built on while at GrainCorp.
They were able to get into the intricacies of global grain trade and the logistical mayhem of carting grain from one side of the world to the other.
“The placement enabled me to gain valuable insights into global commodity markets that are applicable across a myriad of industries, particularly those involving international trade and logistical complexity.” – Max
“The experience deepened my interest in the grain trading industry and strengthened my focus on understanding global supply and demand forecasts for future hedging of farm commodities.” – Kai
Another major highlight for Kai and Max was that their placement coincided with the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix – which they reported was a spectacular event.
Keira McDonald – Angus Australia
First year Agribusiness student Keira McDonald spent two weeks with Angus Australia in the Armidale office, spending a week immersed in the business operations of the member organisation, and the second week on the road with Extension Officer Nancy Crawshaw.
Keira got the chance to interact with CEO Scott Wright and some board members, appreciating the encouragement from staff to participate in discussions.
Interested in people and the steps to building a good culture, Keira said a common response was that a positive culture includes a genuine desire to help others succeed.
“By doing this, you create a sense of value, reduce unhealthy competition, and inspire people to work together towards a common goal. I hope to be able to improve on this within my personal life and career
Read Keira’s full report on the Angus Australia website.
Cody Dobbin – ImpactAg
Final year Agribusiness student Cody Dobbin chose to extend her stay in the United States after the study tour concluded, taking the opportunity to work with Impact Ag, the assets managers of Beaverhead Ranch in Montana since 2022.
The expansive 138,000ha ranch, near Yellowstone National Park, spans 80km from north to south across two US counties. Cody embraced the chance to immerse herself in the ranch’s operations while taking in its picturesque views.
Managing Director & CEO of Impact Ag Hugh Killen provided valuable assistance in arranging Cody’s placement and making this exceptional learning opportunity possible.
