Welcome Amy Nash - South East Queensland QAWN Officer
A love for people in the agricultural sector is what drew Amy Nash to her new post as the Queensland Agriculture Workforce Network (QAWN) Officer for South East Queensland.
Hosted by the Queensland Fruit & Vegetable Growers (QFVG), Amy will work under the banner of QFVG’s project delivery arm, Growcom.
She joined the team in late November and is one of seven QAWN officers available to primary producers across the state.
Having worked in employment services and real estate on-and-off for six years, Amy’s employment services experience exposed her to a range of industries; agriculture was a firm favourite.
“Working with farmers was a different space for me. They are genuinely good people and I want to work with them,” she said.
Before joining QFVG, Amy was the Harvest Trail Service Manager with MADEC for two-and-a-half years, connecting employers and employees across the Sunshine Coast, Moreton Bay, and Wide Bay regions.
Stepping into the QAWN Officer role, Amy’s focus is on working with growers on attraction and retention of employees.
Primarily, Amy says there has been a shift in the kinds of workers growers need on their properties.
“We are used to calls for itinerant or unskilled candidates new to the industry, who do things like picking and packing, but with a shift towards on-farm automation, growers are looking for skilled labour to operate this machinery.”
This is where QAWN Officers like Amy can help, forming connections with organisations that train this skilled workforce, identifying areas where transferable skills mean workers from other industries can use their expertise on farms, and importantly, connecting growers with these workers.
Amy is keen to support agribusinesses in creating sustainable workforce strategies and demonstrate to prospective employees how they can build a fulfilling career in horticulture.
Connect with your local QAWN Officer: www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/farms-fishing-forestry/agriculture/business/workforce/qawn
