23 future wool industry leaders participated in the Breeding Leadership course. This biennial, week-long program, funded by Australian Wool Innovation (AWI), is designed to improve the leadership skills of young people already in the wool industry.
Delivered in Clare, South Australia, by consultancy firm Rural Directions, Breeding Leadership covers personal leadership skills as well as strategic planning and team leadership. The program also included an industry tour of Michell Wool and Anlaby Station, as well as local farm tours (including North Ashrose) and guest speakers.
Helping develop the next wool leaders is a significant focus at AWI, just as it is important to develop the next wool textile experts, wool fashion designers and of course, wool consumers. While young students get introduced to wool through Learn About Wool kits and the Wool4School competition, the next generation of woolgrowers, shearers, brokers and geneticists learn skills through the National Merino Challenge and, in-time, Breeding Leadership.
AWI CEO, Stuart McCullough said "it was great to meet these young people and speak with a room filled with optimism and hope and gained some great insights into their vision for the future of wool". Mr McCullough delivered a session sharing the AWI strategic direction and insights into current and planned projects.
Since its inception, Breeding Leadership has put more than 150 young people through the course; many of them hold leading roles in the wool industry today.
Angus Ashby of North Ashrose undertook the course and said, "the networking opportunities are fantastic and we heard from some insightful breeders and industry leaders."
"I'm looking forward to putting in place some of the strategies we learnt throughout the course," he said.
Participants were selected from throughout the wool industry. Participants backgrounds range from on-farm to education and wool marketing.
2018 Breeding Leadership participants:
| South Australia: Angus Ashby, Gulnare Chelsea Dahlenburg, Naracoorte Angus Halliday, Bordertown Royce Pitchford, Clare William Sandow, WatervaleNew South Wales: Alexandra Cesnik, Gumly Gumly Jayde Cluff, Deniliquin Roy Elliott, Eumungerie Jock Fisher, Gulargambone Ross Fletcher, Walcha Ally Jaffrey, Crookwell Henry Ridge, Sydney Mark Scott, Sydney |
Western Australia: Stephen Chappell, Lake Grace Daniel Dempster, Goomalling Kyle Gumprich, Narrogin Justin Haydock, Narrogin Alex House, Claremont Carl Storer, CunderdinQueensland: Benn Wilson, Dirranbandi Tasmania: Victoria: |
Breeding Leadership participants visited North Ashrose
