Bringing innovation to the classroom. Applications for the startup.business program open 11 May 2020.

The program provides students with a number of agricultural challenges, such as water supply and animal traceability, and encourages them to brainstorm and pitch solutions.

In 2018, seven secondary schools around regional Australia were the first to enrol in a ground-breaking high impact education program designed to use entrepreneurial thinking to solve the problems in agriculture. AgriFutures Australia is the proud sponsor of this program and is happy to announce that secondary schools nationally are once again invited to apply to receive part funding to run the program in terms 2 and 3 of 2021.

startup.business provides Entrepreneurial Learning In Action programs that have been developed by academics using extensive research data and insights. Delivered by teachers from the schools in-curriculum, startup.business also helps to facilitate connections with local businesses where the programs are run to provide some context for learning. These connections enable local agriculture businesses to create clear pathways for young Australian entrepreneurs by opening their doors and exposing the students to the behind-the-scenes workings of a business.

The Australian Government’s ‘Future of Work’ report shows the future workforce will need both hard specialised knowledge and soft personal skills such as critical thinking, communication and collaboration. This program not only equips students with an entrepreneurial mindset that empowers them to think strategically, collaborate and pitch their ideas to others, but also assists students in gaining confidence and resilience in problem-solving, realising that if they take action and are persistent, they will have an impact.

For more information on the program, visit www.agrifutures.com.au/startup.business