Institution: University of Adelaide
Course: Master of Agribusiness
In 2017, I applied to the Industry Leaders Fund for a grant to pursue a Masters in AgriBusiness (M.AgBus) at the University of Adelaide. I was gratefully awarded the grant which has contributed towards the cost of completing my post graduate degree.
Australian Bee Services is a modest primary production business that provides pollination services and produces honey. The business is based on the Yorke Peninsula and has been operating for 15 years. After a rocky road in the early start-up phase of the business I was looking to drive the business through the next phase of growth.
There is an ever-increasing demand for honeybees to provide pollination in our modern agricultural systems and opportunity for our industry to grow to meet the demand. This growth opportunity is attracting new capital from many sources of funding. The new frontier of external investment in beekeeping is fast moving and requires significant business acumen and leadership to capture and understand the opportunities.
The M.AgBus has solidified for me much of what we were doing intuitively, it has given me the skills and confidence to identify real opportunities and quickly move on from other propositions. The degree has opened doors and I have formed many new relationships. I have gained a deep understanding of AgriBusiness on a global platform and how markets and economies function. The course has provided fiscal literacy and the skills to make quick assessments of opportunities.
Notwithstanding the grant, what has been perhaps the most valuable outcome has been becoming a member of the Scholars Network. The industry Leaders Fund through the Scholars Network has provided significant opportunities to remain on the path of continual learning through the many events that are held throughout the year. Attending these events has not only been valuable for building a strong network of likeminded people but has been thought provoking and has challenged much of what we do.
I encourage anyone who is thinking about applying to the ILF to do so. The fund is more than a scholarship and short-term learning, it is a network and becomes the enabler to long term learning and professional development.
