Career smorgasbord for next-gen red meat professionals at ICMJ
AMPC was in the midst of the highly successful 2026 National Intercollegiate Meat Judging (ICMJ) Conference, held at Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga this month.
The conference brought together more than 160 participants from Australia, the United States and Japan. The aim is to help students prepare for a future career in the red meat industry by exposing them to the fundamentals of meat science, insights from experts working across the supply chain and a range of professional development opportunities and practical workshops.
As a foundation sponsor of ICMJ, AMPC believes the program is a valuable platform for promoting the diverse career opportunities within the red meat industry.
AMPC chair Melissa Fletcher was a keynote speaker, sharing insights from her career journey and talking about her faith in the future of the industry.
AMPC's Amanda Carter and Holly Speers, from the People and Culture team, hosted an interactive workshop alongside sustainability project officer Lauren Smith, who also serves on the ICMJ organising committee.
“This event plays an important role in supporting processors in attracting emerging talent and enhancing the long-term sustainability of the industry," Ms Carter said.
AMPC also hosted a stand at the Careers Fair, which drew enormous interest.
“Our aim was to showcase both the variety and potential of careers within red meat processing and students wanted information on everything from production roles to engineering, automation, artificial intelligence, quality assurance, logistics and data analytics," Ms Carter said
In the ICMJ National Competition, for the first time since 2002, the University of Sydney was crowned the Champion Team Overall. Charles Sturt University’s Catherine Cornish claimed individual honours and was awarded the John Carter ICMJ Founder’s Buckle.
A group of 21 Australian university students were selected to participate in the ICMJ Intensive Industry Training Week in Brisbane later this year.
Some of those students will be selected in the Australian ICMJ Team to tour the United States red meat industry and compete on the US meat judging circuit early next year.
ICMJ President Peter McGilchrist said while the competition was often the drawcard for students, the real impact of the ICMJ program was in the connection between participants and industry leaders and insiders.
“ICMJ ignites a real passion in young people to become involved in the red meat industry and gives them the knowledge and hands-on experience that makes them an incredible asset to our industry,” he said.
The ICMJ National Conference is supported by foundational partners MLA and AMPC but is also supported by a range of industry partners including processors such as Teys Australia, Thomas Foods International, JBS Australia, NH Foods, Fletcher International Exports, Australian Meat Group, Bindaree Food Group, Australian Country Choice, Greenham and Gundagai Lamb.
