New and returning agriculture students focused on future in industry

On Friday, at the Waite University orientation day, students were eager to hit the books, with first-year students already planning their futures.

This year, there will be 70 students going into the agricultural science degree - on par with the 71 from 2022, although down on the 94 in 2021.

Veterinary science is also on par with last year, with 88 students, compared with 93 in 2022.

But the number of students enrolled in vitivulture and oenology is 36, down from 50 last year and 82 in 2021.

University's School of Agriculture, Food and Wine Associate head of school (Learning and Teaching) Beth Loveys says there are two major reasons people choose to pursue an future in agriculture.

"One is the fact that they're almost 100 per cent guaranteed they're gonna have a job, which is pretty rare for a degree program to have such certainty at the end of it," she said.

"I think there's also a fundamental interest in feeding people and how we grow food and I think more and more students are becoming really aware of the fact that we have to do things better and smarter."

Associate Professor Loveys said there had been a slight decrease of enrolment numbers in the courses at the Waite campus.

"The university sector across the board has really suffered, because of COVID," she said.

"We've seen a slight drop in numbers, but actually smaller than many other courses."

Due to university classes now being face-to-face, Assoc Prof Loveys said students had the benefit of working in-person, while also getting some of the benefits prompted by working online.

"They've got that fantastic face-to-face and hands on stuff that our degrees are really well known for, but they also have a lot of online resources," she said.

She said some points of interest in this year's intake was the ratio of male to female students, as well as the number of those who had not come from an agricultural background.

"We're probably close to about 60pc boys and 40pc girls, but it does vary from cohort to cohort," she said.

"We're also getting a really good mix of students that have come from family farms and remote areas.

"Now we've got a lot of they call themselves 'the city kids,' who haven't got a connection to regional Australia."

The change of mindset for university students going from high school to university can be a challenge, but Assoc Prof Loveys said the retention rate of students at the Waite campus remained high.

"Our retention between first and second year is almost 100 per cent - we very rarely would lose a student either to another degree program or out of university all together," she said.

"The biggest challenge for our university students and all university students is just that change in mindset from being a school student to being a university student and the way they're required to be a lot more independent in their learning."

Adelaide University Agricultural Students Association President Emily Chambers said she was excited to begin her third year of agricultural science.

"Continuing on with internships and getting more specialised subjects involved, I think they're a bit more technical," she said.

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Ms Chambers said after growing up in Adelaide, she enjoyed the first two years of her course and was looking forward to helping forge a connection between people in the agriculture industry and students studying ag.

"I think it's a really exciting industry to be in and I've really enjoyed it," she said.

Among the first-year students, Oscar Ross, Adelaide, is looking forward to learning more about agricultural production and attending the Waite campus.

"I'll see where it takes me really - agronomy's up there and crop science," he said.

"Hopefully one day I can get into a farming operation, but I'll see how I go and where the wind takes me."

Fellow first-year agricultural science student Brooke Woodifield, Birdwood, said she was eager to pursue a career in the livestock agriculture sector.

"I'm looking forward to getting more into the the livestock genetics and marketing," she said.

"(I'm) wanting to take my passion and knowledge that I've already got further."

Along with learning about livestock, Ms Woodifield is also keen to enjoy the social aspects of university.

"(I'm) looking forward to getting know lots of people in the industry that I haven't yet had the chance to meet," she said.

Taylor Katich, Adelaide, is starting her first year of viticulture at university and, despite some nerves, is excited to get into the course, already thinking about her long-term plans.

"Uni life's probably a bit nerve-wracking, just meeting new people, but not really too scared, just keen to get into it," she said.

"I'll definitely work in either a cellar or a winery."

Maia Horner, Gumeracha, is also keen to get into her first year of studying viticulture, with plans to take on her family's winery, Mt Bera.

"I just love vineyards and love being outside," she said.