Cotton education team building new connections

Cotton Australia held a successful meeting with a range of education stakeholders this week at Western Sydney University’s (WSU) Richmond campus in Sydney.

Cotton Australia CEO Adam Kay and Education Coordinator Jenny Hughes met with the principal of the new Centre of Excellence in Agricultural Education, Kris Beazley, along with key staff from the Western Sydney University’s science, agriculture, sustainability and environment departments. The heads of TAFE’s fashion, creative and design ideation teams, and TAFE Services also attended.

The group discussed opportunities for students from all levels, from kindergarten through to post-graduate, to connect with the Australian cotton industry.

One of the potential projects the group is looking to undertake is a field trip to a cotton farm for students from city areas where they would experience picking, interact with growers, agronomists and ginners to learn about our industry and the innovative farming practices and new technologies we utilise.

This, along with many other potential projects, will allow for STEM-based investigations and showcase the many career pathways our industry can offer - from fashion design to environmental planning.

Cotton Australia looks forward to continuing its work with education stakeholders and boosting access to educational resources about our industry.