Queensland students are learning to muster cattle, drive a tractor and plant crops from their classroom.
Above: Dalby High School students can now learn how to farm from their classroom via virtual reality. Photo source: Endeavour Foundation
Students at a school on Queensland's Western Downs have embraced new technology designed to encourage more young people into agricultural careers. The Endeavour Foundation in partnership with Arrow Energy, has launched the world's first agricultural Virtual Reality learning modules based out of Dalby.
Aimed at users over the age of 13, the tech was actively developed alongside students and teachers from Dalby State High School.
Students from the school’s agricultural Bunya Campus, are the first to embrace the new tech, enabling classes to trial farming activities and learn safety and animal handling skills, before embarking upon physical work.
“As a close farming community, this is a true collaboration of emerging education with next generation agricultural innovation,” Dalby High School Deputy Principal, Brad Pharaoh said.
The program helps students learn real-life skills in the safe space of virtual reality.
Arrow Energy Vice President for External Relation and Tenure Management Rachael Cronin said the cutting-edge technology gives students, both with and without a disability, a feel for handling cattle and broadacre farming.
“Arrow Energy has proudly partnered with Endeavour Foundation for the past 10 years to improve access to disability services in regional Queensland,” she said.
“Since 2020, we’ve been investing in the education of the next generation of the people who live where we operate, and the launch of these VR farming and agriculture programs are the latest initiative to bear fruit.
“This inclusive tech not only gives people with disabilities the springboard to practice new skills before trying it out in the real world, it also helps support our agricultural industry - now and into the future,” Ms Cronin added.