Wine Australia sponsored the Primary Industries Education Foundation of Australia (PIEFA) conference held in Canberra on 19–20 May, which welcomed over 165 delegates from education and industry.

The theme of the conference was ‘Securing the Future of Food and Fibre Education’.

Wine Australia, along with several other Research & Development Corporations, is an ongoing supporter of PIEFA’s efforts to strengthen agricultural education and awareness of modern agricultural career pathways with teachers and students across all Australian schools.

Attending the conference on behalf of Wine Australia was Senior Program Manager Jo Hargreaves who says connection, collaboration and inspiration was a strong theme running through many of the presentations.

“The conference was a powerful reminder of what’s possible when educators, industry and policymakers come together with a shared purpose: to equip the next generation with the knowledge, skills and curiosity they need to thrive in and contribute to Australia’s primary industries,” Jo said. 

Conference participants also visited Mount Majura winery as part of a field trip.

Jo said the feedback on Wine Australia’s Careers in Viticulture and Wine website and its various resources was fantastic, with delegates loving the interactive feature of the virtual tour and the careers matrix, where students can explore careers across the entire value chain based on interests, values, passions and strengths.

New content is being added to the Careers in Viticulture and Wine website regularly, with Wine Australia able to showcase the most recent school curriculum aligned resources and accompanying ‘Seasonal Variations in Australian Vineyards’ poster.