Finding direction in directorship

Jennifer Galloway, Acting General Manager, Workforce, Communication and Adoption AgriFutures Australia, says “The importance of investing in leadership, capacity and skills development in agriculture cannot be understated. Making sure members of the Australian agricultural sector feel equipped and confident to contribute is fundamental to its ongoing success.”

Building on from this commitment, AgriFutures sponsors a number of successful applicants to take part in one of two Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) courses every year. This opportunity is available to our levied and emerging industries, as well as agritech innovation professionals and Rural Women’s Award Alumni. It is intended to build the capacity of individuals to step into leadership roles within their industries and communities.

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“Of greatest relevance were the two days devoted to governance, strategic planning and risk management. The opportunity to share experiences with others in the ag sector was also inspirational. Having farmers markets represented at the course was an added benefit allowing participants to understand more about the contribution that farmers markets make to the nation’s foodscape and agriculture.” – Jane Adams, Chair of the Australian Farmers Markets Association

In 2024, AgriFutures had a fantastic response to the AICD application process with participants sponsored from across the key groups that AgriFutures supports in leadership and development. Year on year, both individuals and their industries benefit from the value these courses deliver to the participants, having a tangible and visible impact on their skills as leaders, business owners, board members, and directors. Simon Wheeler (2024 AICD Alumni) found the course extremely beneficial.

“As a relatively inexperienced executive, the AICD course represented an opportunity for me to understand the contribution of a board to an organisation’s success. I wanted to better understand the responsibilities of the board with respect to governance, risk management financial management and legal responsibilities,” Simon says.

Nyree Dunn, who also completed the AICD course in 2024, echoes Simon’s enthusiasm, saying “This is a fantastic opportunity for anyone who is either already a director looking for recognised qualification or aspiring to be on a Board at some point in the future.”

“For me the benefits have applied beyond a formal board setting as the content and knowledge learned is relevant to business as well as not for profit organisations within your local community where it is often difficult to access committee members with formal training, particularly in rural areas,” Nyree explains.

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“Completing the assignment and exams, although daunting, really helped to cement the knowledge gained throughout the course and allow you to apply it to practical situations.” – Nyree Dunn, Board Secretary for the Rice Marketing Board of New South Wales

In 2025, AgriFutures will sponsor 29 successful applicants to take part in one of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) courses as part of the AgriFutures Learning and Development Opportunities program, and we encourage all interested stakeholders to apply for this exciting opportunity.

As Debra Pearce (2024 AICD Alumni) says, “Back yourself!  Apply. There’s a lot of work but you won’t regret it. The readings and teaching are informed, up-to-date and provide contexts that are easy to relate to and understand. The presenters are industry leaders and practitioners. There’s nothing theoretical!  Doing the course with others from across agriculture and in particular agritech, innovation and new industries, was really interesting. I’d absolutely recommend applying.  As so many of us working in agriculture and rural communities end up with not-for-profit governance roles as well, your community groups and clubs will also benefit when you do the AICD course.”

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“Commercialising inevitably means corporatising. Getting the governance right from the outset is essential as we build a company, a project and a carbon capture industry in Australia.” Debra Pearce, Managing Director of Kimberley Boab Consulting is heavily involved in commercialising the value of woody weeds as stored carbon, in the pursuit of net zero, and speaks of how she will utilise her learnings to develop her industry’s capabilities.

Applications are now open for the 2025 AgriFutures Learning and Development Opportunities – the chance to secure an AgriFutures-sponsored position in up to nine nationally renowned programs – including the Company Directors Course^TM and Foundations of Directorship^TM. Applications close on Wednesday, 8 January 2025.

Find out more and apply for the 2025 AgriFutures Learning and Development Opportunities