Business Skills Development
People Development Investment Plan
A vegetable industry People Development Investment Plan has been developed that sets the path for re-engagement of the vegetable industry with skill development in business management and leadership, provides a map for immediate changes and signposts the next steps that should be taken to increase people capacity for the vegetable industry.
» Click here to access the People Development Investment Plan
Training Needs Analysis complete
Australian vegetable growers are keen to learn business management and leadership development skills as long as those skills are tied directly to improving the profitability of their business, a recent Training Needs Analysis revealed.
The Australian Vegetable Industry Training Needs Analysis in Business Skills and Leadership Development was completed over five months from June 2007 as part of the People Development Coordinator project put forward in Vegvision 2020.
Coordinated by Dianne Fullelove, the need to enhance human resources across the industry is a key plank of Vegvision 2020, the industry wide strategic plan for the sustainable future growth of the Australian Vegetable Industry.
The Needs Analysis involved five stages of research, including a desk top review; in depth case studies of 24 vegetable industry leaders; a survey of Australian vegetable growers, including vegetable, fresh and processing potato, processing tomato, onion and protected cropping growers; and a survey of the National Vegetable Levy Industry Development Officers and other industry stakeholders.
The Needs Analysis indicated there is interest in a wide range of learning topics in business management and leadership and that training is desired in the general areas of business management, financial management, people management and marketing with a preference for higher-end management skills.
However while interest in theses areas was high, it was felt that if there was a presence of ‘regional facilitators’ to assist vegetable growers access the large number of training programs currently available it would be of benefit.
The Needs Analysis also found that for training to be effective, it would be desirable to have the training delivered via small group workshops; grower study tours to other farms; or visits to other businesses in the supply chain.
The next stages for the People Development Coordinator project are the creation of a central database to record available business management and leadership programs, and the development of a People Development Investment Plan for the whole vegetable industry.
People Development Coordinator appointed
AUSVEG, the managing agent for the Business Skills Development Foundation Project, has recently appointed Queensland woman Dianne Fullelove to the role People Development Coordinator. The AVIDG has engaged AUSVEG to implement this project as it has the capacity to continue with this work following the conclusion of the AVIDG’s term on 30 June 2008.
In taking on the role Dianne, who has extensive experience in the horticulture and education industries, will be reviewing existing business skills and training programs and developing a People Development Investment Plan for implementation in 2008 and beyond.
The position has been funded by the AVIDG through a grant to AUSVEG, and is a key plank of VegVision 2020, the industry wide strategic plan for the sustainable future growth of the Australian vegetable industry.
» See full media release on news page
Business Skills Development as a Foundation Project:
Rationale
The Taking Stock report identified the development of a business culture as an important way to empower individual producers to identify new and build on existing opportunities, and to provide them with skills and confidence to continuously improve their practices and ability to meet market requirements.
Outcomes
Investing in business and entrepreneurial skills for Vegetable Industry participants will increase their capacity to:
Identify and build on the strengths and redress the weaknesses of their businesses.
Identify opportunities to meet market and consumer demands, respecting food safety and food quality and environmentally-responsible production.
Adopt new, or adapt existing, business models that strengthen and better reward the relationship between the grower, the supply chain and the market.
Capture opportunities from science and innovation.
Challenges
Tailoring business skill development to those areas likely to create value for individual circumstances.
Dealing with ethnic and language diversity.
Overcoming reluctance to develop skills, or to recognise the need for skill development.
Finding the human capacity to go beyond ‘one-off’ training, and provide ongoing mentoring and coaching.
