Young Australians passionate about the wool industry have converged on SA this week, for the biennial Breeding Leadership program.
Funded by AWI and facilitated by Rural Directions, Clare, the program aims to grow and inspire emerging leaders in the wool industry.
Program activities include workshops on topics such as succession planning, policy development and delegation, networking dinners, and visits to Anlaby Station, Hamilton, Mulloorie stud, Brinkworth, and Collinsville stud, Hallett.
Nine of the participants hail from SA, while others have come from across the country to attend, including six from NSW, four from Vic, three from WA, and two from Qld.
Program facilitator Carlyn Sherriff said the program provided practical leadership development for aspiring wool industry members, and would prepare participants well for the future.
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"It's all about adding little tools into the participants' toolboxes, which they can take away and use in situations that will appear throughout their careers," she said.
She said SA was an excellent location to host the program, with many of Australia's leading studs "right on the doorstep".
On Wednesday, the participants visited wool processor Michell Wool, Salisbury South, where they were taken on a tour of the facility.
Program participant Peter Mitchell, Angaston, said the tour had been "really interesting", and said the week-long program would help participants with decision-making processes within their own farming enterprises.
Christie Felber, Pingelly, WA, said the program was a good opportunity to make contacts, and opened her eyes to many different aspects of the wool industry.
"We get to learn really valuable information throughout the program, which we possibly wouldn't think to look into outside the course," she said.
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