Bessie McGaffin

Name: Bessie McGaffin

Age: 21

Location: Barkly Downs Station NT

Course(s) Studied: Diploma of Agriculture, Advanced Diploma of Agribusiness Management

I grew up on a family property in Wodonga Victoria where we run a small veal enterprise stocking just shy of 50 head of Angus cross and Murray Grey Cross breeders on 300 acres. I recently completed my Diploma of Agriculture and Advanced Diploma of Agribusiness Management as part of an integrated degree pathway at UNE. I’m now working for Australian Agriculture Company (AACo) doing what I love!

Communication with the course teachers was easy and they were very helpful from beginning to end of each of my units. I would definitely recommend RuralBiz Training to other students who want to study and work in Agriculture.

It was always my goal to work with large-scale beef production systems in Northern Australia. I want to use my skills to communicate the benefits of precision agricultural technologies on the properties to increase production and profit. During RuralBiz’s Agricultural Careers expo I heard the HR Manager from AACo explaining their Graduate program. As soon as I graduated, I successfully applied one of the two graduate positions available and got it! Since joining AACo I have rotated through a range of work placements including stockcamps, head office and I am currently based on Brunette Downs Station in the Barkly region NT working in the Rangelands department in weed and pasture management. My studies with RuralBiz Training gave me the skills I needed to be successful.

I LOVE living on the land! I love the lifestyle, but more the people.