Enhancing Food Production Workforce Pilot
10 July 2026
Focus area: Building a future-ready workforce
Program stream: Industry excellence
Project number: 2025-1115
The Enhancing Food Production Workforce Pilot created a comprehensive suite of immersive and educational digital resources to open neuroinclusive employment pathways into the red meat processing industry.
The project set out to address two challenges: persistent workforce shortages across rural and regional processing facilities and the low employment rate among autistic and other neurodivergent Australians. The resources help prospective candidates explore processing work in a safe, low-pressure way, while equipping employers and colleagues to build inclusive workplaces. The pilot gives the red meat processing industry a practical, reusable way to attract and prepare neurodivergent talent at a time of persistent workforce shortage.
