Lectures for lambs? Good swap

A group of university students swapped lectures for lambs as they embarked on a field trip of the Great Southern, including Katanning.

A group of 16 final year Curtin agribusiness students spent the day in Katanning, taking in the sites of agricultural business and research stations.

The group toured the new gene facilities at the Department of Agriculture Research Centre where they visited lambing plots and discussed the nucleus flock at the station.

Shire of Katanning chief executive Dean Taylor also guided the students through the new saleyards and the group finished their day with a dinner at the current saleyards.

Aspiring entomologist Lea Ramos, who studies in Canada, is spending one semester at Curtin.

Growing up in the Philippines she can also see the difference in study methods between the three countries.

“Compared to the Philippines it’s more advanced here with the technology, but the Philippines it’s more practical, we go outside a lot, we plant rice, we go on a lot of field trips,” she said.

“You need experience in both theory and practice; books can’t tell you everything.”

Other areas of study students were looking to pursue include agronomy, consulting, journalism and teaching.

Curtin University senior lecturer in animal production Dr Susan Low said the job market was promising for the students with a ratio of five jobs to one student nationwide.

Dr Low said the field trip presented options into further studies in the sector.

“Students now get a bigger concept, instead of dealing with an individual project you are looking at a wider regional basis; how do you focus on finance, money and resources in a farming business,” she said.

“They see the connection between farming and research, meeting the people that do it … it can open up new opportunities for them.”