InvertiGro Horticulture Operations Team Lead, Tom Shaw never pictured himself working in a warehouse in the inner suburbs of Sydney. While studying food science and agribusiness Tom uncovered the agtech ecosystem and was enthused by indoor farming which led him to InvertiGro, where he is pushing what’s possible and redefining the traditional definition of agriculture.
Bringing the farm indoors is at the core of InvertiGro’s work and the startup employs engineers, tradies, plant scientists, software engineers and data scientists. Tom’s skillset was originally focused on data collection and working with crops, and in two years he transitioned into a managerial and business operations role.
Where he thought his career would go is completely different to where he is now, and he encourages others interested in agriculture to have a crack, go to career expos and talk to people in the industry – you may be surprised to hear what people do.
Find out how Tom Shaw is redefining the future of agriculture through indoor farming at InvertiGro
Watch Tom’s story
This case study forms part of the AgriFutures Australia Workforce and Leadership focus area which assists in the development, attraction and retention of the agricultural workforce. Sharing the real-world experiences of individuals and businesses offers a snapshot into the diverse opportunities available across rural industries and shows how others can successfully forge a career in agriculture.
Check out the stories of other inspiring Australians who have entered the agricultural workforce.
Audrey Keck, whose dream of working outdoors with animals has become a reality
Georgia Beattie, CEO of Bulla Park, Australia’s largest organic mushroom farm
Pig farmers Tim and Mark Kingma, who have merged their skills to boost the family business
Trish Hammond, who traded nursing for dairy farming and now co-runs MPH Farming
Jess Nottle, who completed a local traineeship to forge a pathway in the seeds industry
Alternatively, return to the Community Perceptions and Worker Experiences Program home page.
