Welcoming Liz Ford: Southern Queensland QAWN Officer

Liz Ford has never been far from agriculture. Having grown up in Mt Isa before settling in Laidley, Liz has spent the last 15 years working in agribusiness workforce management across the Lockyer Valley Region.

In that time, she has seen the ebbs and flows of the sector and sees her new role as the Queensland Agricultural Workforce Network (QAWN) Officer for Southern Queensland as an opportunity to find and support the next generation of agricultural workers across the region.

The Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) funds QAWN to assist producers and business to attract, train, and retain workers.

Each officer is hosted by a regional industry or economic body, with Queensland Fruit & Vegetable Growers (QFVG), through our project delivery arm Growcom, hosting Liz in Toowoomba.

Liz will support producers from the Lockyer Valley to the Northern Territory in the west, and about as far north as Augathella.

Liz sees education as her first priority in taking up her QAWN Officer role, saying that fostering stronger relationships between schools and agriculture is vital for both young people and agribusinesses.

“The pandemic border closures have shown us we can’t rely on a transient workforce, and that we need to grow our local talent base,” she said.

“Where I live, our young people are surrounded by farms, but many still go to the cities because they haven’t had the chance to understand the opportunities on their doorstep.”

A first job as a labourer on a farm offers not only invaluable work experience, but is a gateway to careers in agronomy, horticulture, machinery, and business operations.

Liz is keen to show young people across Southern Queensland what is possible through facilitating farm tours, attending school and university career expos, and working to break down perceived barriers to pursuing a career in agriculture.

Connect with Liz or your local QAWN Officer: www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/farms-fishing-forestry/agriculture/business/workforce/qawn