Extension Programs

The proficiency, awareness and engagement of personnel in the meat industry is an important factor contributing to ongoing market access and productivity for the Australian meat industry. The value of research and development is only delivered when outcomes are taken up and successfully implemented by enterprises along the value chain. AMPC continues to support the use of detailed off-farm adoption strategies to realise the full benefit of R&D investments.

To deliver on this aim, AMPC supports a range of extension, education and training projects under a service agreement with the Meat Industry Training and Advisory Council (MINTRAC). MINTRAC is internationally recognised for its expertise in developing training and professional development solutions to the industry.

AMPC partners with the Meat Industry Training and Advisory Council (MINTRAC) for extension and education service delivery to industry. Education and Extension, the “E” of RD&E, is critical to the effective uptake of Research and Development (R&D) investments and a priority area under the Primary Industries Ministerial Council’s National RD&E Framework.

These Networks operate Australia-wide with the aim of improving communications in this area of the industry and enhancing the professionalism of practitioners. The objectives of these Networks are to: 

  • Facilitate communication between industry and regulators; 
  • Identify training requirements for industry; 
  • Facilitate research being broadcast to the industry; 
  • Conduct professional development sessions to address immediate and specific information requirements.

Network meetings help to facilitate communication and engagement between industry and regulators, help companies access industry funded training, practice change initiatives and the outcomes of R&D and identify new information needs and training requirements.

Fourteen Quality Assurance Managers’ Network meetings were held during 2010-2011, with representatives from 64 meat processing companies, seven regulatory bodies, industry associations, research agencies, registered training organisations and other companies servicing the industry. The seventh annual “Meat Inspection and Quality Assurance Conference” was held in Melbourne and speakers addressed a range of topics from animal welfare through meat science and QA in the pet food industry.

Six Environment Managers’ Network meetings were held during 2010- 2011, including a range of site visits to current industry projects. Twelve Training Network meetings were held during 2010-2011 with a range of industry research and development outcomes being discussed, new regulations and their implications for the training system. The theme for the national conference was “Training for Sustainability 2011” and recommendations from the conference report were to focus on improving the adoption of industry research and development through the training system and ensuring that the currency and integrity of the system is maintained in the face of significant changes being proposed to the Australian vocational education and training system.
 

Professional Development, Post-Graduate and Other Programs

There are a number of other student, training and extension programs supported by AMPC. The Undergraduate and Graduate Programs are developed to provide students the chance to work in the industry with the view to it being a career choice and assist processing companies to attract and support young professionals in the early parts of their careers.

AMPC, in collaboration with MLA, is now working on developing a new capability program that will harness investments in post-graduate, undergraduate, up-skilling and training delivered. To achieve this, AMPC will be contributing to a benchmarking exercise to identify key capability needs into the future, both for industry and research organisations. AMPC will also be examining new and innovative ways to engage industry in practice change through targeted education programs and workshops. These will include capability building in areas such as environmental management, waste water and waste management, new product development and engineering.

Please note, further information of these student and extension programs will be available here soon.

Click on the right-hand menu for further information on Young Guns, Australian Rural Leadership and other programs.