The 2026 Food & Fibre Careers Day is over for another year, and what a fantastic celebration of agriculture, innovation, and future career pathways it proved to be. Held at the picturesque University of Melbourne Dookie Campus on Friday 29 May, the event welcomed more than 500 secondary students from across regional Victoria for a hands-on exploration of the exciting opportunities available within the food and fibre industries. Students travelled from Wangaratta, Echuca, Shep

Friday 29 May 2026 9:30am – 2:00pm University of Melbourne Dookie Campus Up to 500 students from across regional Victoria will gather in the Dookie Hills later this month for Food & Fibre Careers Day 2026. A large-scale immersive event designed to showcase the future of agriculture, food production, AgTech and agribusiness. Hosted at the historic University of Melbourne Dookie Campus, the event will welcome students travelling from across the state, including Wangaratta, Echu

Our region is growing and with that growth comes opportunity. Over the next ten years, our region population is forecast to increase by 8.4%, bringing with it significant demand across the construction and trades sectors. Current projections suggest we will need around 2,500 new workers in construction alone. Drilling down further, the need becomes even clearer: More than 80 additional plumbers Over 100 construction management roles Around 200 carpenters And up to 500 additio

NE Tracks LLEN supports the Zonta Club of Wangaratta to host the annual International Women’s Day Careers Breakfast for Girls , held in the Oaks Room at the Wangaratta Turf Club on Thursday 5 th May 2026. Many girls from across the region attended the event, representing schools including Rutherglen High School, Beechworth Secondary College, Wangaratta High School, Galen Catholic College and FCJ College Benalla among others. The breakfast brought together a number of guest m

An 18-year-old Wangaratta apprentice has been recognised for her dedication to the trades after receiving the 2025 Glenrowan Solar Farm Scholarship. Lauren Stone, a second-year apprentice technician with McGregor Machinery, has been awarded the $5,000 scholarship, which will support her continued development in the industry. Lauren began her pathway into the workforce through a school-based apprenticeship in Year 10, a step that led to full-time employment with McGregor Machi

Exciting things are happening for secondary school students in our Ovens Murray VET Cluster, with a brand-new Certificate III in Aviation (Remote Pilot) program launching this week. The idea was first presented at the August 2025 meeting of the Ovens Murray VET Cluster Operations Group, where SUAS ROV were invited to deliver an overview of how nationally recognised drone pilot training could work in a school setting delivered within the VCE and VCE VM. The response saw str

Held at the University of Melbourne Dookie Campus, The Food & Fibre Careers Day, held annually since 2014, attracts more than 400 students interested in agriculture and related careers. Up to 20 secondary schools attend from across the Hume Region and Campaspe Shire, including Wangaratta and Benalla secondary schools. The event showcases both traditional and emerging agricultural careers and pathways providing students with valuable early engagement connecting them with local

VIC VICE is an online digital platform designed to help inform students, teachers, and families about vocational opportunities while inspiring meaningful careers conversations. The platform uses Virtual Reality headsets to create immersive, hands-on careers education experiences that bring industry pathways to life. Using VR headsets, students experience 360-degree industry videos and interactive simulations that mirror real workplace tasks aligned with VET pathways. The pl