Young Aggies is a group of young agricultural professionals in the Moree district focused on building their engagement and network in a personal and professional capacity.

The Young Aggies Rural Scholarship Fund is being launched in 2018 and is designed to support and encourage students undertaking an agricultural discipline at a tertiary level to seek out work experience in the Gwydir Valley as part of their course requirements.

This will allow students to gain practical experience, while being exposed to the wide array of opportunities that exist in Australia's richest agricultural shire.

“We just want to encourage people to spend time working in the Gwydir Valley and seeing what it has to offer,” Young Aggies chair Fiona Norrie said.

Ms Norries said the scholarship will also give successful applicants a first hand introduction to the Young Aggies network and the professional development and networking opportunities they provide.

“By being exposed to different industries and all the great things about Moree, we’re hoping the experience may encourage students to seek out longer term employment in the Gwydir Valley upon completion of their studies, and provide them with a contact and network basis from which to launch their career,” she said.

The applicant must be currently enrolled in an agricultural discipline at university or other equivalent tertiary institution and intend on completing four weeks of work experience in the Gwydir Valley within the 2018 calendar year.

The successful applicant must demonstrate a passion for agriculture and a desire to embark on a career in agriculture within the subsequent five years of receiving the scholarship. The scholarship is a one-off bursary of $1,500, which should assist with any costs associated with travel and accommodation for the duration of the work experience.

All interested students can contact Young Aggies for more information and an application form via email at young.aggies@gmail.com or get in contact with Young Aggies Moree on Facebook.