The vital food producing areas of the Gosford electorate are set to benefit from an extension of the NSW Government’s AgSkilled program.
The program can already count Central Coast farmers and ag workers among its success stories with 16 local students completing Drones in Agriculture training in 2024, while another eight are qualified in the Agricultural Chemical Skillset course.
Of the drone pilots, 83 per cent gained new skills needed for their jobs, while 17 per cent set up or expanded their own businesses.
“This brings cutting-edge knowledge to our region in a fast-changing industry, from mastering on-farm technology to improving safety, sustainability, and productivity,” Member for Gosford Liesl Tesch said.
“The injection of a further $5 million into Agskilled for another 12 months provides further opportunities for Central Coast producers to get ahead.”
Over the past year alone, AgSkilled has powered training for more than 2300 participants across 188 locations, achieving an impressive 94 per cent completion rate through 768 courses run by 33 endorsed providers, including TAFE NSW.
The program is also helping to attract a new generation to the sector, with one in four participants under 25, and one in four being female.
“Our local growers and producers are the backbone of not only the region but the national economy,” Ms Tesch said.
“This funding will ensure TAFE NSW and other training providers can continue to deliver free or low-cost, industry-aligned training that helps regional economies grow now and into the future.
“This investment supports the next generation of farmers and producers to adopt sustainable and innovative practices, while also creating real career opportunities for people in regional NSW.”
For more information on the AgSkilled program, please visit www.nsw.gov.au/education-and-training/vocational/vet-programs/agskilled
Media Release from the Office of Liesl Tesch MP, State Member for Gosford
