An innovative course designed specifically to develop the leadership and business management skills of women working in agriculture in New South Wales is now open for 2021 enrolments.

The Generating Regionally Outstanding Women (GROW) program is a professional development course focused on improving time management, planning, communication, industrial relations and workplace health and safety (WH&S) for women in farming.

Specialist agricultural trainer Rebecca Fing from House Paddock Consulting will facilitate training for women working in the NSW grains, cotton, rice, horticulture and viticulture sectors to develop their leadership and business management skills. Photo: Supplied

Offered by Tocal College the GROW course will be delivered by Rebecca Fing of House Paddock Training and Consulting.

The training is being funded through AgSkilled 2.0, an industry-led workforce development initiative supported by the NSW Government and with support from GRDC and other industry bodies. AgSkilled 2.0 has been developed to facilitate training for the grains, cotton, production horticulture, viticulture and rice growing sectors.

“We have been delivering the GROW program for the past three years and during that time almost 300 women from across New South Wales have successfully completed the course,” Mrs Fing says.

“The feedback from our graduates has been overwhelmingly positive, so we are excited continue to offer this program.

“The AgSkilled initiative has previously only been for those working in the grains and cotton industries, but now funding has been extended we are able to offer the GROW course to women in the rice, horticulture and viticulture sectors, along with grains and cotton.”

In 2021, the six-month course will involve a combination of online and face-to-face training with one-day workshops planned for Moree, Dubbo and Griffith.

Participants will complete activities in an engaging, mentored environment and need to be able to commit to two face-to-face workshops, as well as weekly webinars from February to May. Webinars will be recorded for those who are unable to attend the live session each week.

“The GROW program is designed for business owners and managers, who have a minimum of five years’ experience in the workplace and have delegation or aspire to have delegation over workplace health and safety and human resources systems within their business,” Mrs Fing says.

This course is aligned to the following national units of competency:

• BSBWOR501 - Manage personal work priorities and professional development
• BSBREL401 - Establish networks
• BSBWOR424 - Develop a time management plan
• BSBWHS401 - Implement and monitor WHS policies, procedures and programs to meet legislative requirements
• AHCWRK403 - Supervise work routines and staff performance
• AHCBUS511 - Manage enterprise staff requirements.

Successful completion of assessment tasks will result in achieving a statement of attainment containing units of competency that can contribute to several nationally recognised qualifications.

This course is available to eligible participants through funding from the NSW AgSkilled Program.

More information: visit AgSkilled's GROW course, to apply for the course; or contact Rebecca Fing housepaddock@bigpond.com.