Continued support for ag students
Students at a leading agricultural college in the Wimmera accepted scholarships from an Australian agribusiness to support them during their tertiary education.
Longerenong College students Thomas Baird and Melea Mckay each received $5000 from Fox and Lillie Rural, the direct wool-buying and brokerage arm of the Australian wool, aquaculture and seafood trading company, Fox and Lille.
The 2021-22 Fox and Lillie Rural Foundation Scholarships are given to aid student pursuits in the agricultural industry and provide financial assistance for tuition fees and housing throughout a two-year course.
Thomas, originally from Curlwaa in New South Wales, said the scholarship would provide financial stability during his studies.
“It’s been fantastic meeting all these likeminded people at Longerenong College,” he said.
“Undertaking a work placement at Fox and Lillie this year, as part of the scholarship, will provide another perspective into the wool industry to see how it all works. I am really looking forward to the program.”
Fox and Lillie Rural managing director Jonathon Lillie said the company had offered student scholarships at Longerenong College for five years as part of the business’s ongoing commitment to attract more young people to the wool industry.
“We are excited to be playing our role in supporting the next generation coming into the agribusiness industry,” he said.
“Longerenong College and other agriculture colleges and universities are providing students with excellent training in the rural sector and we are excited to see there is so much growing interest in the industry.”
Longerenong College business development officer Donna Winfield said the college had experienced a booming couple of years with a high number of enrolments for 2022.
“The range of animal, agronomy, business and digital studies offered at Longerenong College has drawn a lot of interest from young people across Australia who are looking to pursue a career in the agricultural industry,” she said.
“We thank companies like Fox and Lillie who have been supporting students at the college for several years and continue to do so.
“These scholarships have the ability to change the course of someone’s future, whether it be from the financial contribution or from the experience gained during the work placement offered.”
Due to the agricultural college’s continued attraction to students from across Australia, the college, with support from the State Government’s Agricultural College Modernisation Program, announced a $6.5-million upgrade to student accommodation, communal buildings and parking facilities.
The upgrades are due for completion at the end of 2023.
Ms Winfield said the project would support the college to meet the increasing demand from students who wished to study agriculture while experiencing the benefits associated with a full-residential education experience.