Zoe Carter inspires #AgVenture in young Aussies

Zoe Carter’s #Agventure is inspiring young people to get into the agriculture sector. The self-proclaimed ‘born and raised city kid with a huge passion for agriculture’ from Geelong, has amassed more than 260,000 followers on Tik Tok and Instagram in just a few years through sharing the joys of working on farms and outback stations.

Zoe’s humorous and educational video content (which includes bush make-up tutorials) captures the romanticism of working and living on the land – while also showcasing the hard work and grit required to thrive in various roles.

COVID-19 travel restrictions have curbed content in recent months, with Zoe unable to return to work as a ringer and contractor in the Pilbara region after a trip back to Victoria for a break.

“I’m currently working in an abattoir in Victoria and I haven’t had as much content to share, but I am still getting messages and enquiries on a daily basis. Most are from young people in Sydney, Melbourne and Victoria,” Zoe said.

“I’ve tried to get back to the Pilbara, but there has been hard border lockdowns and the quarantine requirements of 21 days was just too long to make the seasonal work worthwhile. Hopefully next year I will get back out there. There is plenty for me to do as I do contract work for several stations.”

Zoe’s content regularly focuses on securing a job in the agriculture industry, particularly station work involving livestock. She excels at demonstrating the fun and freedom that comes from working on a station, while reinforcing the significance of the job and the role station work plays in a wider context.

Her social media accounts are flooded with young users asking how they can be like her and do the type of work she does. It’s something the content creator is more than willing to share with fans, answering any and all questions, giving demonstrations – and most recently – releasing the first in a series of videos sharing ‘How to get a job in the agriculture industry’.

“Working on the cattle stations and farms is hard work, but it’s so enjoyable,” she says.

Zoe’s quest for a life of agventures started at an early age.

“I grew up in the middle of Geelong city, but I did spend some of my younger years on my grandfather’s Hereford cattle farm, which I loved, and it sparked my passion for work in agriculture.”

“It’s interesting though, when I was at high school, careers advisors would try and talk you out of working in the agriculture sector. Unfortunately, I reckon they talked a lot of people out of it, but not me.”

#Agventure tips from Zoe Carter

According to Zoe, these are the top tips for someone considering a station #AgVenture:

• Hold a current driver’s licence.
• Build skills through certificates, qualifications and ag courses at school.
• Accumulate experience by learning what you can before stepping foot on a farm (if that is something that is accessible). This includes learning to safely ride motorbikes and using equipment.
• Be eager to learn. Station work is hard yet rewarding work. It’s best to be passionate about it.

You can follow Zoe Carter Australia’s agventures on TikTok and Instagram.

#Agventures careers expo

With a plethora of agriculture jobs currently available in the industry, it can be hard to disseminate which #AgVenture to go on!

This year, to celebrate the 2021 National Ag Day theme, #AgVenture – the best of the industry will be on show, to highlight the diverse range of careers available in agriculture in a series of online webinars.

Beginning Monday 25 October and running until Thursday 18 November, the #AgVenture Careers Expo will host two, hour long sessions, a week. These webinars will feature 10 bright young talents, currently employed within the agriculture industry.

Ranging from a barley breeder to a Broome-based veterinarian, each will share their unique and thrilling career journeys.

The webinars will be broadcast live, with years 10, 11 & 12 students encouraged to attend and send in any questions they may have. Each webinar will also be recorded for further distribution.

Two fantastic hosts – Oli Le Lievre (Humans of Agriculture podcast host/creator) and Sophie Hansen (former Rural Woman of the Year, author and agvocate) – are bringing their wealth of knowledge and professionalism to the webinars, coming on board to moderate the sessions.

In lieu of many school students missing out on physical career expos due to COVID-19, this virtual ag expo is an important way to solidify agriculture based jobs at the forefront of young minds.

It is also significant that the wide range of jobs represented through the webinars showcase that there is a plethora of jobs available in the industry – highlighting to students that whether you want to be on-farm or in an office (or both), there are plenty of ag jobs available.

To register for the webinars or for more information on what #Agventures are available, head to the AgDay website.

If you enjoyed this feature, you might like reading our story on the diversity of ag careers.