News

Growers and macadamia businesses can now access skilled student interns through the new Horticultural Industry Internship Program, launched by Hort Innovation in partnership with Western Sydney University (WSU).

Designed to help address workforce shortages, the program connects businesses with motivated undergraduate and postgraduate students studying agricultural and horticultural science, providing practical on-farm experience while supporting employers with short-term labour and long-term recruitment opportunities.

Why get involved

• Access a ready pool of skilled and motivated students in their final year of Agriculture and Horticulture degrees
• Address workforce gaps in your business or region
• Mentor future professionals who could become valuable long-term employees.

How it works

• Students complete 3–6 month internships with your business while continuing their studies at WSU
• Interns gain hands-on experience in areas such as crop production, pest and disease management, post-harvest handling, and packaging
• Businesses pay a co-investment per student, which Hort Innovation matches dollar-for-dollar
• WSU co-invests through academic mentoring and program delivery.

Program costs

• Bachelor’s students: $5,500 for a 3-month internship
• Master’s students: $7,500 for a 3-month internship or $15,000 for a 6-month internship
• Additional support is available to assist with student relocation and engagement.

Benefits for your business

• Boost on-farm capacity with skilled, supervised support
• Connect early with potential future employees
• Add flexibility through short-term, part-time or project-based placements
• Strengthen your links with a national network of growers, researchers, and educators.

Find out more or get involved

Contact Dr Sindhu Sheoran

📞 0434 546 361

📧 [email protected]

For more details, visit horticulture.com.au

This project is funded through Hort Innovation Frontiers with co-investment from Western Sydney University and contributions from the Australian Government.