17 September 2024

A young Nowra woman with a passion for dairy farming is set to jet off on a study tour to the Netherlands after securing a prestigious national scholarship.

Despite being raised in suburban Sydney, Sophia Mansell, 20, moved to Nowra three years ago to pursue a career in dairy farming, turning to TAFE NSW Yallah to give her the practical skills and knowledge to make an immediate impact in her new job.

Ms Mansell was recently announced as one of 25 national winners of the Global Footprints Scholarship, which grants $9000 to recipients in the agriculture, horticulture or trades fields to travel overseas for industry experience and professional development.

“It was a really emotional moment to find out I’d won the scholarship … scary but exciting at the same time,” Ms Mansell said.

“I care so much about the dairy farming industry and to have the opportunity to see how other parts of the world are promoting sustainable practices and then bring it back to Australia is amazing.”

The Netherlands is the most active dairy country in the European Union and a global leader in automation of dairy operations, whether it be automated milking machines, calf feeders, or even turning cow manure into electricity.

Ms Mansell, who is about to finish her traineeship with Kangaroo Valley dairy farmer Alex Good, credited TAFE NSW Yallah, where she completed a Certificate III in Agriculture and is currently studying a Certificate IV in Agriculture, with helping turbocharge her career.

“A traineeship was the perfect balance for me as it allowed me to earn and learn at the same time, working on the farm four days a week and studying at TAFE NSW one day a week,” she said. “The courses have been so practical and what I learned has been so easy to implement in my job.

“TAFE NSW Yallah actually has a working farm so we’ve been able to vaccinate the cattle, yard them and even put up fences. Having access to tractors and spray equipment at the campus, and do a chainsaw unit has also been invaluable.”

TAFE NSW Yallah agriculture teacher Stuart Yeatman, who has been involved in the cattle industry for 40 years, said an agriculture traineeship was an ideal entry point into the booming ag sector.

“Sophia is potentially a future leader in the dairy industry and a great example of how commitment to work and studies can produce big outcomes,” Mr Yeatman said.

“Our TAFE NSW Yallah ag courses areIt’s all about giving students the hands-on, practical skills to really thrive in their jobs, and a traineeship is a great way to do that.

“There’s a strong focus on employability skills and we have units on things like quad bikes, chemical application, livestock handling and feeding, coordinating milking operations, and basic fencing.”

Media contact: Dan Johns, TAFE NSW Communications Specialist, 0477 722 428